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Second Skin : A Novelette
Under the glitz and glamour that is Los Angeles, a darker truth hides.
On the surface, Brooke seems to have it She lives in Los Angeles with a decent boyfriend and has a steady income as a model and a promising career as an aspiring author. But her life begins to spiral into a vortex of drugs and depression as she learns more about the dark side of her modeling agency.
At first, she is just as hollow and jaded as those around her, but behind the painted face, there is a vulnerable person walking down a dark and desperate path. As Brooke struggles and faces one crisis after another, author Clare Castleberry turns the alluring side of Hollywood into a harrowing, poignant short story.
Fans of horror, transgressive, and dark stories will enjoy this short listen.
The car purred and the intensity of the drugs soared. It was like diving into a pool of rich, warm Jell-O. Putting my hands on the wheel and keeping them there was quite the task; it felt like my elbows were being pulled down to the floorboard. I drove forward; at least, I think I did. Tail lights and headlights blurred together to create brilliant colors and auras. I pulled up to a stop sign and waited for it to turn green. It did. I didn’t realize until much later that stop signs don’t turn green.
I didn’t pull over until my breathing got labored. I let my head fall back into the headrest and slowly sucked in air, but it never quite seemed to fill my lungs. I felt like I was breathing through a pinhole. I began to panic and tried to scream at the cars passing by, but the only thing I heard emerge was a faint rattle.
The panic soon eased into a mellow, peaceful feeling. I began to let go. I dove further into the pool of rich, liquid nothingness. This time, I let the skin fall off of me, a scaly remembrance of the film and the corruption that had followed me here.
Content Abuse, anxiety, blood/gore/graphic injuries, body shaming, bullying, death/murder/drowning, depression, drugs/addiction, hallucinations, manipulation/toxic relationships, paranoia, rape/sexual abuse, sex/slut shaming, and trauma.
On the surface, Brooke seems to have it She lives in Los Angeles with a decent boyfriend and has a steady income as a model and a promising career as an aspiring author. But her life begins to spiral into a vortex of drugs and depression as she learns more about the dark side of her modeling agency.
At first, she is just as hollow and jaded as those around her, but behind the painted face, there is a vulnerable person walking down a dark and desperate path. As Brooke struggles and faces one crisis after another, author Clare Castleberry turns the alluring side of Hollywood into a harrowing, poignant short story.
Fans of horror, transgressive, and dark stories will enjoy this short listen.
The car purred and the intensity of the drugs soared. It was like diving into a pool of rich, warm Jell-O. Putting my hands on the wheel and keeping them there was quite the task; it felt like my elbows were being pulled down to the floorboard. I drove forward; at least, I think I did. Tail lights and headlights blurred together to create brilliant colors and auras. I pulled up to a stop sign and waited for it to turn green. It did. I didn’t realize until much later that stop signs don’t turn green.
I didn’t pull over until my breathing got labored. I let my head fall back into the headrest and slowly sucked in air, but it never quite seemed to fill my lungs. I felt like I was breathing through a pinhole. I began to panic and tried to scream at the cars passing by, but the only thing I heard emerge was a faint rattle.
The panic soon eased into a mellow, peaceful feeling. I began to let go. I dove further into the pool of rich, liquid nothingness. This time, I let the skin fall off of me, a scaly remembrance of the film and the corruption that had followed me here.
Content Abuse, anxiety, blood/gore/graphic injuries, body shaming, bullying, death/murder/drowning, depression, drugs/addiction, hallucinations, manipulation/toxic relationships, paranoia, rape/sexual abuse, sex/slut shaming, and trauma.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2016
13 people want to read
About the author
Clare de Lune
10 books81 followersAuthor also writes under Clare Castleberry
Clare Castleberry writes dark fiction and erotica. She lives in New Orleans.
Clare Castleberry writes dark fiction and erotica. She lives in New Orleans.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 11, 2023
Fast, Gripping, and Intense!
I flew through SECOND SKIN in a single afternoon. The writing is smooth, sleek, and rings with authenticity. I'm looking forward to more of this author's fiction. Highly recommended!
I flew through SECOND SKIN in a single afternoon. The writing is smooth, sleek, and rings with authenticity. I'm looking forward to more of this author's fiction. Highly recommended!
August 29, 2016
I had a hard time trying to rate and review this Novelette.
I had no idea what the story was about, whether it'd be a monster type story or something of the like. I came in blind, depending on the author's talent from the last book of theirs that I read to lead me true. So as I read, I depended on the main character to guide me.
This kinda proved hard because the writing puts the character at arm's length. Sure it's from her perspective, but we get a sort of hollow void of a person going through the motions of their life. And this put me off for a while. Until halfway through. That was when it hit me (and i won't say what it was, no spoilers here), that this was on purpose.
The writing is a distant, vague, snapshot style life story of a character in a dark DARK time in their life. We don't connect because she herself doesn't want to connect. Once I understood that, the rest was brilliant. A tad bit disorienting with the several jumps from doing this to doing that, that seemed like they could have been written a bit smoother. Hence the one star off. But other than that, it's a brilliant story, dark, at arm's length narrative that really flows once you understand what's going on.
I had no idea what the story was about, whether it'd be a monster type story or something of the like. I came in blind, depending on the author's talent from the last book of theirs that I read to lead me true. So as I read, I depended on the main character to guide me.
This kinda proved hard because the writing puts the character at arm's length. Sure it's from her perspective, but we get a sort of hollow void of a person going through the motions of their life. And this put me off for a while. Until halfway through. That was when it hit me (and i won't say what it was, no spoilers here), that this was on purpose.
The writing is a distant, vague, snapshot style life story of a character in a dark DARK time in their life. We don't connect because she herself doesn't want to connect. Once I understood that, the rest was brilliant. A tad bit disorienting with the several jumps from doing this to doing that, that seemed like they could have been written a bit smoother. Hence the one star off. But other than that, it's a brilliant story, dark, at arm's length narrative that really flows once you understand what's going on.
March 14, 2016
Excellent and legitimately cold story ... would fit right in with any anthology of dark fiction. Normally I prefer my main characters to be more fleshed out, but here her obscurity and somewhat two-dimensional nature are critical to the story, i.e. this could be any or every girl gone to L.A. working as a model. That aspect is what makes it all the more dark. I look forward to reading more from this author.
P.S. I recommend reading Second Skin in a single sitting - it isn't long and the fast deterioration gives it a lot of weight.
P.S. I recommend reading Second Skin in a single sitting - it isn't long and the fast deterioration gives it a lot of weight.
May 12, 2016
Wow this book is short but packed with crazy it really makes you rethink things . It showed the ugly side of LA and modeling and living the life of a celebrity. In such a short book the author was able to pack intense moments , sickening disturbing characters and a cat you wanted to protect . I would call this book good for that reason because it's and eye opener and because the author packed so much in , in so little pages and it didn't feel rushed or in complete in anyway . Wow is all I can say .
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April 1, 2016
I haven't read many novelettes or novellas before, and Second Skin is the reason why.... it is over too quickly and I want more!!
The story is a small snapshot into a rough patch of a classic LA story of desperation, disappointment and despair.
Very nicely written, the voice of this interesting character is engaging and intriguing. A great short read.
The story is a small snapshot into a rough patch of a classic LA story of desperation, disappointment and despair.
Very nicely written, the voice of this interesting character is engaging and intriguing. A great short read.
March 15, 2016
A quick, "fun"read
"Fun" if you don't mind a little gore and some drug addiction. But truly, the voice was fantastic and it pulled me right through to the end. I look forward to reading more by this writer!
"Fun" if you don't mind a little gore and some drug addiction. But truly, the voice was fantastic and it pulled me right through to the end. I look forward to reading more by this writer!
February 24, 2016
Powerful story about a young woman's deterioration from drugs and disillusionment. It gives a disturbing look at the darker side of the L.A. modeling industry. Highly recommend.
July 6, 2024
A short story about LA, modeling, and drugs. This story is dark, and the writing style was great.
August 31, 2022
Castleberry's voice is perfect for the disaffected, dissociated protagonist of Second Skin: a woman who came to LA with hopes of modeling (everyone's a model in LA), but for whom the city has other, more horrible plans. Castleberry's affect, both spoken and written, reminds me of Cali transgressive writers like Bret Easton Ellis at their best, and most accurate to the ennui with which Angelinos describe or experience the abuse they suffer and enact. Second Skin is an uncomfortable quick dose of powerful, bleak misery, and I'd love to read/hear more like this!
December 4, 2019
This is a very quick read and one that is amazingly well-written and shows a very sad side of Los Angeles modeling and really, Hollywood. Drugs, sexual favors, fat-shaming, murder. We all know it is like that but no one can stop it. This book is an excellent read and may not be meant as a tell-all reality but it does hit what seems to be close to the truth.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 26, 2025
This is a beautiful read about what lies behind the glitz and glamor of the modeling industry. I love the way this story took me to the seedier side, where rampant drug use and borderline prostitution thrive.
Clare Castleberry is a master storyteller who creates believable characters and surreal plots. I absolutely loved "Second Skin" and I'm looking forward to my next read from this incredible author.
Clare Castleberry is a master storyteller who creates believable characters and surreal plots. I absolutely loved "Second Skin" and I'm looking forward to my next read from this incredible author.
August 10, 2018
This may be a shorter story, but it packs some serious punch. It's a cold, dark read with a seemingly two dimensional character we do not connect with, but in the end we learn why and the twisted crazy hits like a meteor. Excellent writing from De Line as always and so very clever.
April 12, 2023
'Second Skin' is a fast-paced journey into a dark and disturbing world faced by a model trying to make it in LA.
Easy to read in one sitting, and one that will stay with me for a while.
I look forward to checking out more from this author.
Easy to read in one sitting, and one that will stay with me for a while.
I look forward to checking out more from this author.
December 29, 2020
Must read
This story is dark and vivid. Clare takes you On an unexpected journey that leads to fields of beautifully designed emotions. Do you have a Second Skin?
This story is dark and vivid. Clare takes you On an unexpected journey that leads to fields of beautifully designed emotions. Do you have a Second Skin?
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews