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The Curses We Keep
Not yet published
Expected 2 Mar 26The York family believed distance would save them.
Fleeing the pyres of Salem in 1692, they sought refuge in Carolina's sultry lowcountry, desperate to escape the witch trial hysteria that had consumed their neighbors. But in their new Charleston homestead, the nightmares begin anew. Spectral figures drift through moonlit rooms. Livestock perish in inexplicable numbers. And young Cassandra York sees what others cannot—or will not—acknowledge.
Something followed them from Salem.
As Cassandra delves into her family's guarded history, she uncovers the horrifying truth: a witch's vengeance, sworn in blood and flame, has bound the York bloodline to an eternal cycle of torment. Each generation inherits the curse anew. And now, in this remote colonial outpost, the reckoning has come due.
The Curses We Keep emerges as a forgotten masterwork of Southern Gothic terror that chills to the marrow.
Fleeing the pyres of Salem in 1692, they sought refuge in Carolina's sultry lowcountry, desperate to escape the witch trial hysteria that had consumed their neighbors. But in their new Charleston homestead, the nightmares begin anew. Spectral figures drift through moonlit rooms. Livestock perish in inexplicable numbers. And young Cassandra York sees what others cannot—or will not—acknowledge.
Something followed them from Salem.
As Cassandra delves into her family's guarded history, she uncovers the horrifying truth: a witch's vengeance, sworn in blood and flame, has bound the York bloodline to an eternal cycle of torment. Each generation inherits the curse anew. And now, in this remote colonial outpost, the reckoning has come due.
The Curses We Keep emerges as a forgotten masterwork of Southern Gothic terror that chills to the marrow.
124 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 2, 2026
2 people want to read
About the author
Dakota J. Miller
2 books6 followersDakota J. Miller is an emerging voice in horror fiction with the upcoming release of his debut, The Curses We Keep.
A U.S. Army veteran with a PhD in Health Sciences, Dakota brings a distinctive perspective to his writing. When he’s not working, he’s preoccupied with unraveling the human condition—a fixation that seeps into every page he writes.
Raised in the Carolinas and shaped by military moves across the country, he now pours his Southern roots into dark, psychologically charged tales.
The Curses We Keep is a haunting Southern Gothic horror story about a family who fled the Salem Witch Trials, only to settle in 17th-century Charleston—where the past refuses to stay buried. Told with such authenticity and timeless dread, it feels like a lost classic pulled from a locked archive.
Beyond his debut, Dakota has written a chilling short story from which the characters will be seamlessly interwoven into another author’s upcoming novel, Moon Goddess by Faye Hollidaye, releasing in early 2026.
Though new to fiction, Dakota writes with a voice we thought we’d lost—one we desperately need back.
A U.S. Army veteran with a PhD in Health Sciences, Dakota brings a distinctive perspective to his writing. When he’s not working, he’s preoccupied with unraveling the human condition—a fixation that seeps into every page he writes.
Raised in the Carolinas and shaped by military moves across the country, he now pours his Southern roots into dark, psychologically charged tales.
The Curses We Keep is a haunting Southern Gothic horror story about a family who fled the Salem Witch Trials, only to settle in 17th-century Charleston—where the past refuses to stay buried. Told with such authenticity and timeless dread, it feels like a lost classic pulled from a locked archive.
Beyond his debut, Dakota has written a chilling short story from which the characters will be seamlessly interwoven into another author’s upcoming novel, Moon Goddess by Faye Hollidaye, releasing in early 2026.
Though new to fiction, Dakota writes with a voice we thought we’d lost—one we desperately need back.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was fortunate to have read this horrifyingly wonderful tale before it was released upon the public. After being drawn in by the wordplay and setting, I was rewarded with a wickedly intense buildup to a conclusion which delivers.
The style and story are each unique, making this a book I plan to read again.
The style and story are each unique, making this a book I plan to read again.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a classic Gothic tale of consequences. It's psychological, dark in imagery, and centered on family. To say much more about The Curses We Keep would be a spoiler.
I enjoyed this novella for its supernatural suspense, and the heartbreaking--well, you'll have to read.
I enjoyed this novella for its supernatural suspense, and the heartbreaking--well, you'll have to read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance review copy of this novel before publication and will review it in detail on my blog (World of the Written Word) this month. You SHOULD be excited for the release of this breakout horror novel, and I’ll tell you why in my review — coming soon!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews