There are some writers out there you come across, and you instantly know that no matter what they write, you’ll read it. For me, S.H. Cooper is one of those writers. Let’s start with how I came across her work, and we’ll go from there.

A while ago, I was looking for scripted drama podcasts. Especially horror. Somehow, I came across Calling Darkness, and right from the very first episode I was hooked. Calling Darkness is about a group of women who travel to a remote house to participate in an acting seminar. Things are going well until they accidently summon a demon, and end up trapped. S.H. Cooper co-wrote the show with author Gemma Amor, and once I found out both had books out there, I knew I had to get my hands on them.

So I picked up From Twisted Roots, Cooper’s second collection of short stories. And as I delved more and more into the words of this talented author, something strange happened.

We interacted on Twitter, became almost-friends, and when I posted about my beta reading service on Fiverr, Cooper explained she was working on a novella, and would be interested in my feedback.

From there, our relationship grew, and now I have edited three of her five books - the novella The Festering Ones, her YA Fantasy The Knight’s Daughter, and her newest short story collection, All That’s Fair. S.H. Cooper has proven herself adapt at tackling different lengths as well as different genres, and if you haven’t picked up any of her five releases yet, change that immediately.

Many of her short stories feel unique, written in first person and often with a touch of wholesome horror to them. Every collection is strong, and Cooper goes from strength to strength with her writing. So check out the below, pick one (or five!) and dive in. Oh, and check out Calling Darkness while you’re at it.

Calling Darkness

Link: https://callingdarknesspodcast.libsyn.com/ 

What happens when six women accidentally summon a Demon from the bowels of hell?

Calling Darkness is a horror-comedy audio drama from the pens of NoSleep Podcast writers S.H.Cooper and Gemma Amor. 

Cower in fear as our guest star Narrator, Kate Siegel, guides you around Crowe House. Tremble as you listen to the terrifying yet titillating adventures that take place within the walls. Come and say hello to our intrepid gang of girls, a special book, a Demon, and other odd folk.
Featuring voice talents from across the world of audio and podcasting, fully immersive sound, and a script to die for- quite literally- you are listening to Calling Darkness.

Review - https://www.deadheadreviews.com/deadhead-reviews-archive/2019/09/23/review-calling-darkness-podcast 

I cannot stress enough how good this podcast is. It’s deliciously dark and funny, professionally acted and produced, and with excellent voice talent involved. When I started listening to it, I’d listened to a few scripted podcasts, and realised one issue they had seemed to be an inability to set the scene, without it feeling forced. With Narrator Katie Siegel and the writing for her character, Calling Darkness does an excellent job of avoiding this issue.

The Corpse Garden

S.H. Cooper’s first book is a collection of fourteen short horror stories that chronicle obsession, loss, and why you should be afraid of things that go bump in the night.

Review - https://www.deadheadreviews.com/deadhead-reviews-archive/2020/05/05/review-the-corpse-garden 

This is a really solid collection, impressive for a first collection. Stories to haunt you alongside some of Cooper’s trademark Wholesome Horror stories. It’s the kind of collection that proves difficult to put down, leaving the reader eager to devour more with every story.

From Twisted Roots

The most wholesome families have the darkest secrets. 

In this collection, you’ll experience intimate first-hand accounts of modern-day murders, kidnappings, and violent revenge. Other stories are heart-warming with whimsical mysteries, gothic fairy tales, and supernatural monstrosities.

Review - https://www.deadheadreviews.com/deadhead-reviews-archive/2020/07/13/review-from-twisted-roots 

Cooper turns her attention to families in this once-again-solid collection. The mix of terror and wholesome proves a winning combination, and this is a collection that’ll tug at your heartstrings and make you scared to turn out the light. From my review – ‘What secrets is the father-of-the-year hiding? Why does a woman keep getting death omens, and how does it relate to her daughter? What monster is terrorising a girl and her grandfather, killing the animals on his farm?’

The Festering Ones

A monster lurking in the mountain.

A mysterious cult seeking a doorway

An otherworldly evil waiting to be unleashed.

Faith York was a young girl when she saw her father dragged into the ground by a spider-armed woman, never to be seen again. Twenty years later, the events of that day continue to haunt her, and her need for answers has only grown stronger with time. After her estranged mother’s death forces her to return home, old wounds are reopened and Faith finally decides to face her demons. What started as a search for closure soon pits her against a shadowy cult known as The Gathered and the eldritch beings they worship. With reality becoming more blurred by the day and the thousand eyes of an alien deity fixed on her, Faith must decide if the dark secrets of White Crow Mountain are really worth losing herself over.

Interview Following Release: https://www.deadheadreviews.com/deadhead-reviews-archive/2019/12/10/double-feature-interview-s-h-cooper

Review by Garrett Witt: https://www.deadheadreviews.com/deadhead-reviews-archive/2019/10/17/review-the-festering-ones 

Cooper’s first longer-length offering, this novella packs a lot into a short space, in a really good way. We follow Faith on her journey to discover what really happened to father, and confirm she did see what she thought she saw. Faith is a really strong, solid character, the writing flows brilliantly, and the monsters lurking in the darkness are enough to send chills down your spine and make you very careful on your next woodland hike. 

The Knight’s Daughter

Fourteen-year-old Mary McThomas is being raised a lady, but she knows she was born to be a knight. It’s an impossible dream, one that almost costs her father his life. After an ambush on their village leaves him gravely wounded, Mary is willing to do anything to save him, even if it means following a mysterious fae far from home. Accompanied by her older brothers, Mary plunges into a world of magic, danger, and an ancient grudge seeking to spill new blood.

But while Mary hunts for the cure, someone else is hunting for her. And he will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

With evil closing in from all sides, Mary will have to trust in her warrior heart to rescue her father, her family, and her world.

A change from her other books, The Knight’s Daughter is YA Fantasy, but don’t go looking for romantic subplots and hidden princesses’ here. At its core, this story is about family, as Mary goes searching for her father, along with her brothers. She’s not a ‘not like other girls’ character, but she does want to be a knight, and will do anything to prove herself. If you like Young Adult, or even if you like Fantasy, you don’t want to miss this one.

All That’s Fair

A maiden looking for love in all the wrong places.

A mother in an endless search for missing children.

A crone whose passing is marked by the tinkling of tiny bells.

All That’s Fair is a collection of twenty-two short horror stories themed around women who are made up of anything but sugar, spice, and everything nice. Be they human, ghost, or something else entirely, one thing holds true for all: These are not the girls you’ll find (or want) next door.

The latest release, and the one we’re celebrating on Dead Head Reviews all this week. S.H. Cooper turns to her twisted roots with another short story collection, this one focusing on women. Women as antagonists and monsters and generally looking to cause trouble. Once more, Cooper gives us some of her trademark wholesome horror, but more often, this collection produces tears and fears in equal measure. 

These books were all self-published by S.H. Cooper herself, and each delivers a different kind of blow. Her output is impressive, and along with these five books, she has had work featured on the NoSleep Podcast, and also contributes stories to the Reddit forum. I think it’s safe to say, I’m not the only one looking forward to whatever she comes out with next.

Check out S.H. Cooper on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Pippinacious 

Author Website: https://authorshcooper.com/ 

S.H. Cooper is a Florida based author with a penchant for horror. She has penned short story collections, co-wrote the podcast, Calling Darkness, and is a regular contributor to the award winning anthology series, The NoSleep Podcast. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband, pets, and a cup of Earl Grey.

Guide by Elle Turpitt

Twitter: @ElleTurpitt
Website: ElleTurpitt.com