Haunted is a mix of flash fiction and short stories with lengths ranging from 475 to 2,750 words. Approximately 9,450 words total.
"Uncleansed" - Holy water and a romantic weekend don't go together. "Sequestered" - The house on a lake seems like the perfect place to get over an ex-fiance. "Grandma's Treasures" - Maybe grandma had a reason for being odd. "New Friends" - Mia finds unlikely friends in her new neighborhood. "Retirement" - A fierce storm invades a widow's life. "Strangers" - Two paranormal investigators visit a former mental institution.
Janel Gradowski grew up, and still lives, in the mitten of Michigan. She is a wife and mother whose writing companion is a crazy Golden Retriever named Cooper. In the past she has worked many jobs. Renting apartments, scorekeeping for a stock car racetrack and selling newspaper classified advertisements are some of the experiences that continue to provide inspiration for her stories. Now she writes fiction and is also a beadwork designer and teacher. She enjoys cooking and is fueled by copious amounts of coffee.
Her work has appeared in many publications, both online and in print. She is the author of three series. The Culinary Competition Mystery Series stars Amy Ridley, a former hair stylist with a passion for entering cooking contests. Her first women's fiction series is The Bartonville Series. Each volume contains stories ranging from flash to novella length. All of the stories are set in Michigan every volume contains accompanying recipes. The 6:1 Series features themed collections of her stories that are based on the title's theme.
Haunted (6:1 Series, Volume 1) by Janel Gradowski is part of her six stories with one theme series and was the first she published as an ebook after much success in publishing her flash fiction in literary journals. This collection is a quick read and can be read in about a day. There is a surprising breadth of characters and situations representing the theme from a woman haunted by her jilted lover to a ghost unaware of his present state.
I'm not really good at reviews without spoilers, so I'll keep it simple: I absolutely loved this series and its theme, all the stories in here are perfect - spooky and so wonderfully written!