The Stranger Things: Paranormal, Supernatural & Unusual Phenomenon--Excerpt

 

(This is an excerpt from the book: The Stranger Things: Paranormal, Supernatural & Unusual Phenomenon-Chapter 6 Black Stick Men)

So, what exactly is a Black Stick Man? They are strange creatures, a type of bizarre humanoid that humans don’t come across very often. They’re usually depicted as resembling your classic cartoon stick figure, which makes them some of the most unusual entities people have reported seeing. There’s not a ton of information out there about these odd beings, but plenty of folks have shared their strange encounters with Stick Men, adding to the mystery surrounding them.

These occurrences frequently happen when a witness is feeling extremely tired or under a lot of stress, but that's not the only scenario. You can also find these sightings happening in remote spots, like a lonely stretch of road or an empty highway, or even in other deserted places. This new creature, which isn't paranormal or linked to UFOs, is quite intriguing. I hadn't heard of Stick Men until I started researching for this book. These beings look like simple stick figures, completely lacking any human features. Picture the basic stick figures kids draw, with heads that have no facial details like hair, eyes, or mouths. While some who claim to have seen them say they feel male, they probably don't have a gender since they lack any sexual traits. It's pretty wild! I've encountered shadow people before but never Stick Men. 

I'm curious to see one since they don't seem to pose any threat—at least, I think so. People describe them as having a strange galloping movement, and some even claim they can hover just above the ground! These beings are two-dimensional, which means they look identical no matter what angle you see them from. Quite bizarre, right? I’m really curious to catch a glimpse of one myself. Reports of Black Stick Men have been popping up on message boards and various websites since 2008, and interestingly, they haven’t been featured on shows like Ghost Hunters or other paranormal series, unlike the broader category of shadow people. Lately, I've been hearing more and more stories about people running into these strange figures. Honestly, I can't shake the feeling that something significant is going on.

(Images are for the readers entertainment, enjoy)

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My Interpretation of the Backrooms

 

In my book, Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files volume 1, Jane and MK embark on a mission to find a missing girl trapped in the mysterious Backrooms. While they are unaware of the true nature of this strange place, Jane has learned a bit about its origins. Years earlier, scientists aimed to create a safe haven for the homeless and those facing financial hardships. They developed a quantum replicator of sorts that manipulates its surrounding area. A device capable of rapidly duplicating spaces, they tested it in a vast warehouse. Initially, the device functioned perfectly, generating a series of rooms and corridors adorned in soothing shades of yellow and white, complete with ordinary beige carpeting.

Nothing about it looks like what the Backrooms appear--presently. The construction of the rooms was still taking place within the warehouse, but one night, the device unexpectedly malfunctioned—possibly due to sabotage. As everyone slept, it activated on its own, alerting the scientists just a little too late. They watched in horror as a message flashed on the large screen: “The bridge has broken, merging is infinite.” A doorway began to materialize in an untouched section of the warehouse, accompanied by a low rumble that escalated, leading the staff to fear an imminent explosion. Efforts to evacuate the residents were frantic, but not everyone managed to escape the chaos that ensued. Some remained trapped.

The device burst open a dimensional doorway and started to suck in everything around it, like a wormhole. When everything settled, which took months, some of the scientists returned--orders from government. They found the main entrance to the warehouse lobby as it was before, but something was different.

 As they explored, they stepped into a bizarre mazelike structure. The warehouse ceiling was replaced with a more office-like design featuring fluorescent lights, transforming the space into a bizarre, non-Euclidean maze. Intrigued by this new dimension, the team decided it was worth exploring further, leading to the recruitment of additional scientists to investigate the mysterious world they believed had been generated by the device.

The device didn’t actually create the liminal purgatory of the non-Euclidean dimension; it merely opened a portal to it. A unique crystal was integral to the device's function, enabling it to connect with the Backroom's realm.

In Volume 5 of the Phoenix Files, MK accidentally finds herself back in the Backrooms, where her biological father resides. He was one of the scientists who didn’t escape before the dimension merged. If you’ve read the first volume, you’ll recognize this storyline. Volume 5 will delve deeper into this plot, and it will be the final time the Backrooms are referenced in any of my books.

By the way, I am working on making Lost in the Backrooms a visual novel, with the help of someone I know who knows how to make one.

Let’s move onto, The Maze from Hell: A Backrooms Tale. The main characters enter the Backrooms by accident; they have no knowledge of the history of the place. Aleena desperately seeks a way out but bumps into Eli, a rich man who has a shady history. In the book, both characters find themselves in a small colony, but as they became a part of the community, the colony started to disappear. The Backrooms energy had pulled the town into its dimension and set it in the wheat fields level, now it is disappearing, so Aleena sees the problem and decides to make that trek back to the front rooms. Eli follows her and by chance they end up together again, navigating through the non-Euclidean maze. They finally find a door that leads them to the front rooms but there’s something different. It is not the reality they came from. And this is where I decided to add that twist into the narrative.

The Backrooms is an intriguing concept that can be explored in various forms of media, such as stories, videos, and films, since it isn't protected by copyright. Those familiar with the Backrooms often have their own unique interpretations of what it entails and how it functions. In my books, I've shared my perspective on the nature of the Backrooms and the mechanics of its non-Euclidean dimension.

A New Excerpt from: The Stranger Things: Paranormal, Supernatural & Unusual Phenomenon

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Trying to Sell Your Skills but Come Off as Obnoxious

 

If you’ve ever been on Threads, you’ll see a lot of scammers trying to sell their alleged skills to you. Some of those people may be genuine artist just trying to give you an opportunity to sell you their skill on creating a cover for your book, however I’ve come across way too many on social media that genuinely seem interested in your book, then trash your cover by saying that either it’s ai generated or you could’ve done better by not selecting on of the generated images from KDP or IngramSparks. They will say that your book won’t sell with a cover like that, they come off as snarky and mean-spirited.

 Personally, I don’t like it when these supposed artists jump into posts created by the author and then they begin to scrutinize their work. As an author, I have created a couple of covers myself for some of my books, but most of my books (novels) have KDP covers. Below are images of the books that I created covers for. In the Company of Elves book cover, is an actual photo from a trip I took to Yosemite national Park.

For these books I used Render/Blender and some digital art tweaking. As I mentioned before, In the Company of Elves cover art, is an actual photo. No tweaking it or enhancing it. When you get on Threads, particularly in Book Threads or Author’s Threads, no self-published author is safe from scammer harassment. Some of those scammers pretend to be authors themselves but once you get into a conversation with them, then they’ll start peddling their artistic skills and the price you’ll have to pay them for their art. I totally understand that they have a degree and want to get people to buy into their services, I get it, but they don’t have to criticize, demean or accuse indie authors of things that they can’t prove themselves.

Also, the fact that ai has caused such upheaval in the industry of the arts, people call everything ai nowadays even though they don’t have proof. So, if an indie author created their own cover/book, some people (Trolls) want that author to prove they didn’t use ai. What? Don’t do that. An author is putting his or her work for you to enjoy and read. They are not asking to be put on trial. And yes, that’s what it feels like for some authors. It is sickening and ridiculous at this point. Most indie authors have started blocking accounts under the assumption that those accounts are trying to scam them. By the way, in traditional publishing, the cover art gets done by the company with approval of the author. No, I’ve never published with a trad company but I’m fine with what I chose to do, I just don’t like the constant bombardment of, “I can do your cover better,” or “I can edit your work, and people wouldn’t think it’s ai.” 

These people will cause dramas where there shouldn’t be, just to harass the authors into buying their services. They do not know if you used ai or not, they’re just pushing the fear of ai and hurting indie authors that truly wrote their own books by using false accusations. 

It’s a madhouse online. In addition, with the economy the way it is, everyone, except those who are privileged of well off financially, can't afford to pay for cover art, videos or an editor. They can barely afford food! I'm lucky that I have someone who can edit my work now and I trust his skills. 

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Barnes & Noble: Ai Generated Books?

 

Social media has become a toxic playground due to people calling everything ai and assuming that every self-published author out there is using ai in their writing and everything else. It’s the paranoia that is running amok. By the way, it’s perfectly okay for authors to use online tools to create videos or images for promoting their books, not saying that those images or videos are made with ai, I’m just saying that it’s no one’s business what an author uses to promote their book, just enjoy the video or image for Godsakes. Stop being uptight and angry.

 If someone dismisses this as AI-generated content, they can simply choose not to engage with it. The choice ultimately lies with the reader. Recently, I’ve noticed discussions online, particularly about Barnes & Noble, which is trending for unexpected reasons.

Many people are accusing the store of endorsing AI-generated books, leading some to call for a boycott. Personally, I don’t shop at Barnes & Noble, so I’m not entirely sure what the fuss is about. In an Indie Author group I’m part of on Facebook, whenever fellow indie or self-published authors post their book covers, there’s often a comment like, “Looks like AI to me” or “AI Slop.” It seems that the term "slop" has become a catch-all for anything that doesn’t meet certain standards.

I came across a comment on Tumblr that included the word "SLOP." The person was talking about a photo of someone genuinely sharing a moment with her dog in her backyard. It seems like people are really overusing that term. One day, we might look back and find it amusing, but for now, it’s not and it is annoying.

In Facebook Indie author groups and Threads, I’ve seen some members demanding proof that authors created their images without AI help, which is just crazy.

(This comment is referring to another author who shared their book cover image, in that group. And this is why I think people are blowing it all out of proportion. Witch Hunt)

If you’re an author facing this, my advice is to simply ignore those comments; they’re just looking to stir up online drama. Remember, if someone is questioning the authenticity of your work, they’re likely not genuinely interested in your book and are just trolling. Recognize these signs, scroll past their negativity, or delete their comments if you can, and don’t hesitate to block them. 

NOTE: I use KDP gallery images that are provided. However, three books do have covers that I created myself but I used Render, Bender and whatever online tools available. Personally, I don't have to tell anyone how I made my book covers and that's my point. No author should do that. If a person is genuinely interested in their book, they'll read it. Period.

In conclusion, bookstores like Barnes & Noble don’t care what books they sell, if the book has garnered a lot of rates/reviews, the company will buy copies and sell them in their stores to make a profit. They don’t care.

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Ask The Author: Q & A's

 

These are questions from random people who have read some of my books.

Q: In your book, The Maze from Hell, can you give me more background info on Syra and Kyle? It doesn’t appear that you wrote about their life before the Backrooms.

A: You’re right. This is their background:

Kyle, a divorcee, is five years younger than Syra, and is a father to three kids—two daughters and a son. While working the night shift at Walmart, he accidentally found himself in the Backrooms. How it happened was, during a break, he stepped into the restroom, and when he emerged, he was met with a disorienting yellow maze instead of the familiar store.

Turning around, he realized the door he exited had vanished. Navigating through level 0 like many before him, he made his way to other levels until he encountered one of the colonies and decided to stay.

Syra was a married woman with a loving family. Her children were already adults when she mysteriously vanished. The details of how she found herself in the Backrooms are hazy, as her experiences there have clouded her memories of the events leading up to her arrival. Initially, she faced the same challenges as others in that non-Euclidean dimension, but eventually, she reached the Raiders colony and met Kyle. Accepting that returning home was no longer an option, Syra and Kyle formed a bond, navigating their new reality together while learning from the people around them.

Q: Was Mr. Smith, in your book, A Time Traveler’s Companion, have other companions not mentioned in your book?

A: Yes, but they were short lived. After Melanie left but before he met Remi, he had a brief encounter with a woman from the day spa where he first took Remi. Following that, there was Ella, whom I mentioned in the book, along with a few others. However, it was Remi who truly captured his heart and became his long-term companion until her passing. Later, during his fifth incarnation, he took Ryla as a companion, however she referred to him as uncle because of their history. No intimate encounters between them. When Ryla dies, years later, he continues his journeys with new companions.

Q: You mentioned that A Time Traveler’s Companion is loosely inspired by a fanfiction you wrote. Does it follow the original story?

A: Well, it’s a bit of both. While some elements from the fanfiction remain, many aspects have been altered. Given that it’s a Doctor Who fanfic, I made several changes during the writing process, which unexpectedly led to the novel exceeding 500 pages. I believe the story stands apart from the fanfiction, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my book.

 

Q: In your book Flare, you mentioned that Cher knows Jane’s parents. Can you elaborate?

A: They were quite close, as Cher often assisted the Hunters, the organization to which Jane’s parents belonged. Their friendship deepened over the years, and Cher was present when Jane was born. However, after Jane’s parents passed away, Cher couldn’t take her in due to her nature as an energy vampire.

Cher is an enigmatic individual and remains so throughout the Phoenix Files book series. She will appear in one of the volumes from the series, assisting Jane on one of the assignments.

Thank you for visiting this blog and if you have any questions regarding my books, please feel free to ask.

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Cecile Garcia

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Tired of the Whole AI Crusade

 

Lately, I've noticed a surge of comments about supposed authors using AI in various ways, and honestly, I'm tired of the ongoing crusade against indie and self-published writers. Many of those accusing indie authors of relying on AI seem more interested in stirring up drama and attracting views than in any genuine concern about the issue. Ironically, the same individuals who are now criticizing authors for potential AI use are the ones who dismissed indie authors over a decade ago. For instance, I received some pretty harsh reviews for my first book published in the 2000s, which just goes to show that this kind of negativity isn't new, it just has taken on a new face. If you can't see the image, please click on it.

Don’t think that this person would use the ai excuse to put down indie authors now? Well, guess again.

Other Author’s shaming & accusing other authors of using ai:

I saw a comment on Threads about an author who made a video accusing 67 other authors of using AI for their images, book covers, and writing. Apparently, she participated in a contest with them a year ago and might have lost, which could explain her need to vent and criticize the others. In her video, she named these authors and claimed they were using AI, but she provided no evidence to back up her accusations. That was uncalled for. What a bitch, right?

Below is the screenshot of the thread:

It hasn’t changed, it is the same behavior I’ve seen online and in real life toward indie authors. I’m not speaking for all authors, but I do know that most are not using ai for writing however if they used it for images or videos or a book cover, that’s their business, not the accuser’s. If you're judging an author's work based solely on the images or videos, they use to promote their books, it's best to just scroll past. If it triggers you, to a point of insanity, simply move on; it's really that easy. You don't have to purchase their book, especially when there are others that are buying their books. While it's true that AI has disrupted the industry and many innocent authors are caught in the crossfire, indie authors should toughen up and recognize that negativity often stems from jealousy among critics. The woman who accused 67 authors in her video, has taken it down now from YouTube, probably because of all the rage it invoked but maybe that’s what she wanted. Figures, right. A person like her is far from professional and instead of being supportive and actually giving the benefit of the doubt, she chose to be a--well you know what I mean.

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Ai Online Drama

 

How many of you indie/self-published authors are getting tired of people who have or will never read your books, accuse you of using ai? How many times have you read in a post about ai and its evil influences? Personally, I’ve read many and it gets tiring. In fact, I tend to scroll past them. I recently came across a discussion in a Facebook author group where someone questioned the fuss over authors using AI, suggesting that critics will always find something to complain about, regardless of the choice.

However, whenever AI is mentioned, the conversation often turns heated, with people attacking others for either supporting or opposing its use. This topic is tricky; if you view AI as nothing more than a tool or if you’re indifferent toward it, and you don’t care, you might still face backlash based on your stance alone. 

To quote what someone once said: The whole ai paranoia is out of control.

Honestly, it is. I agree but nevertheless, I believe in, live and let live. Whether an author uses ai is none of my business because it doesn’t affect me, or it shouldn’t. I have no association with that person so, yeah.

However, as I stated before, if you’re indifferent about ai in general, then others see it as an opportunity to throw shade on you and accuse you of using ai even if you didn’t. I try to scroll past any mention of ai online posts because of the drama but sometimes it can’t be helped.

 NOTE: Many authors, including myself, have been writing and self-publishing long before AI became a topic of discussion; I've been writing since the early 2000s. Recently, I shared that info in a conversation, and someone responded with, "Well, AI has been around for a while," which honestly left me speechless. It was a ridiculous response, one that I did not respond to. A bot or troll, I don’t know but that is why I try not to engage.

If the people who post these comments are not trolls or bots, then it seems that some individuals are just looking for reasons to disparage indie authors. That's my candid take on the situation. By the way, sometimes those ai apps that claim to show you if ai was used--aren’t as accurate as you think they are. If you want to comment, please do so, I’m interested in your opinion. 

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