A Man's Incredible Journey To Save His Pregnant Wife From The Ultimate Evil.
The dream is back and Ben Carson is terrified. His pregnant wife, Anne, is locked in a coma and Ben is the only person who can save her, but he has no idea how to accomplish this. His dreams contain clues, but they make no sense. Ben can’t figure what a small white well house and black flying creatures have to do with Anne.
Then he meets a mysterious woman named Thelma Grippe. What he learns from Thelma shakes him to the core, but gives him the knowledge to free Anne from the force keeping her in the coma. Once he locates the
well house, Ben finds a passage to another dimension, where he searches for Anne. After a long, arduous journey, Ben faces the ultimate evil that holds Anne captive.
The Well House is an exciting, unique and thoughtful story of a man’s fight against unbelievable odds to save his wife. Part drama, part fantasy and part parable, The Well House is a multi-layered tale that takes readers on an amazing journey from the mountains above Boulder Colorado to the depths of the dark zone.
The Well House is the first novel by Michael S. Matassa, an attorney and Municipal Court Judge in Arvada, Colorado. He discovered the well house in the late summer of 1994, standing by a field of corn on a small farm just south of Brighton Colorado, where it still stands today. Mr. Matassa studied at Regis College in Denver and the University of Colorado School of law. He has also written several short stories, a screenplay and is presently working on a sequel to The Well House and a ghost story called “The Baby Carriage.” He writes under the pen name of M. S. Matassa.
What
would you like to tell everyone about you that they wouldn't already know from
reading your books?
I am an attorney, municipal court judge and now
an author. I am 68 years old and live in Arvada Colorado. I was married for 42
years and my wife is deceased. I
have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. I graduated from Regis College in
Denver and obtained my law degree from the University of Colorado in
Boulder. I coached youth club soccer for
15 years and am a Denver Broncos fan
What
inspired you to write your first book?
I always wanted to write a novel but never had the time when I was
working and raising a family. I first saw the real
well house in 1994 on Hwy 85 south of Brighton Colorado and I had this idea
that it would be interesting if I went inside the
well house and it was a huge room even though it was a
6x5 structure on the outside. The story developed over the years in my
mind and on paper into what it is today. It didn't take 20 years to write but the story sat around for a long time. I finally got more serious in the last few years and decided to
finish it. This is really a personal story with many elements from my
life interspersed throughout; so I was rather apprehensive about letting the
world see what I had written. I decided that 2014 was the right time for me to
publish the book.
Do
you have a specific writing style?
My writing style is straightforward and descriptive. I develop the
story in my mind over several months and then write the book like I am watching
a movie. When I start a chapter I have a general idea what I want to write but
at least 50% of what makes it to the page happens as I write. I always say that
the story writes itself. I make a brief outline of what each chapter will deal
with after I develop the story in my mind. Then I just start writing and see
where the story goes. I generally know where I want the story to end up but how
I get there is always a surprise. I like
to write mostly short chapters of 4 to 6 pages, so readers have a place to
easily break. That's the way I like to read. And I also want to make sure the
story has a satisfying ending. My stories are a mix of reality and fantasy,
which overlap each other to keep the reader guessing.
How
did you come up with the title?
The main focus of the book is the well house. It is a portal to
another dimension. The well house actually exists on Highway 85 in Adams County
Colorado. It is a small structure that houses a water pump that pumps the well
water to the fields next to it. I never
considered any other name because the name is mysterious and the well house is
the central character in the book. I visited the well house and the neighboring
cemetery a month ago to scout the location as I prepared to start the sequels.
What
do you want your readers to get out of your novels?
My main aim is to give the readers an interesting story that will
keep their attention until the end. At the end of the book, I want the reader
to feel he/she experienced an interesting story with a satisfying ending. If
this is the case, then I feel my writing was successful.
However, all my books have multiple themes that can further
enhance the reader's enjoyment. I come from a religious/spiritual background,
so I intersperse elements of spirituality in my stories along with multiple
themes. I want the reader to have
whatever experience they personally get out of the book whether it is the basic
story or whether they can follow one of the other themes. In "The Well
House", I there are at least 5 themes that people who have read the book
have discovered.
Is
the book mostly fantasy or do you think these situations could actually happen?
This
book takes place in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado, in the cities of
Boulder, Denver, and Wheat Ridge and on highway 85 in Adams county Colorado.
All of the locations referred to in the book are real locations. The rest of the book takes place in another
dimension called the dream world and the dark zone.
Everything
that happens in the real world can definitely happen. Much of what happens in
the other dimension is a parable of the struggles that people encounter in
their real, daily lives. The events that
occur in the other dimension are a fantasy I created but what happens
represents real issues that people can encounter. This story is a unique look
at the age-old conflict between good and evil. So looking at this book as a
parable of the conflict of good versus evil, yes, much of it can really happen.
Are
the experiences fact based or from your imagination?
Many of the experiences in the book are actual events that
happened to me. This book was a catharsis for me to be able to address many
issues that had troubled me through my life. It was a great experience to be
able to write about things that had bothered me for years. When I go to book
club discussions/signings, I am asked questions about different aspects of the
book and I enjoy letting people know how and why I wrote what I did. It is
liberating.
Which
other authors do you feel have had the most influences on you as both a reader
and a writer?
Stephen King, Michael
Crichton and Dan Brown
What
book are you reading now?
Dr.
Sleep by Stephen King
What
are your current projects?
I am writing two sequels to
"The Well House". The first
sequel takes place about 7 years after the end of "The Well
House". It will be the middle book
of a trilogy and is tentatively named "The Well House, Book 2: Jack's
Revenge". It will not end well for
the Carson family. I will write the
third book immediately after the second book and it is tentatively named "The Well House, Book 3: Taylor's
Redemption".
If you like the
first book, you will definitely like the next two. The second book is meaner
and more sinister. The last book will try to put the family back together. I am
hoping that the three books taken together will provide quite a ride for the
readers. After I finish the trilogy, I have a ghost story in mind. Also I have
several short stories that I may publish.
Do
you see writing as a career?
At this point I have had a
career as an attorney and a municipal court judge. I would love to write full time but I don't
see that I could make enough income from writing, so I will probably continue
to work in the legal field and see how the writing develops. I'm definitely not
ready to retire and intend to write more novels.
Who
designed the cover?
I published my book through
Outskirts Press and hired a cover artist through them. His name is Lewis Agrell
and he is a very imaginative and talented cover designer. I gave him my ideas
and a synopsis of the book and he
created a cover that perfectly represents the themes in the book and everyone
seems to love it.
Do
you have any advice for other writers?
If you have a story you
believe in, then follow your gut feeling and start writing. Then re-read and
re-edit until you are satisfied with your product. Then have a professional
editor edit the book. I have 8 versions
of "The Well House", probably because I was an inexperienced writer.
Then I hired a professional editor to clean up my writing. Also I suggest that
any writer who is not an English major read books on how to write fiction:
beginnings, middles, ends and first 50 pages. Then read novels in your
genre. You really need to learn the
craft of writing in addition to having an imaginative mind before you dare try
to publish a book. But if you really want to publish a novel don't give up.
Which
comes first? The character's story, or, the idea for the novel?
I generally come up with the
idea for the novel, then develop a general plot, then add characters to the
story. Once I have a good idea of the story in my head, I turn the characters
loose on the page and let them go where the story leads them. I am always
surprised at what they do.
Have
you done any promotional tours for your books?
I have attended several book
club discussions and book signings. It was a great experience for me to talk
with a room full of people who had read my book. I have received great feedback
and am amazed at how different people read the same story but focus in on
different aspects of the story. It also helps me know what the readers liked in
the book, which will help me in writing the sequels. I also have a Blog tour
set up and an Internet radio interview.
When
did you first consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself an
author when I first held the paperback version of the book in my hands and read
the words on the book's pages that I had only seen in manuscript form. That was
an amazing feeling. Now I need to work on the craft of writing so that I can be
an accomplished writer. That part may never happen but I'm definitely going to
try to keep improving my writing.
Do
you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you to everyone who
has gotten and read the book. I truly appreciate my readers because without
their support, my stories would only exist in my head. Readers let me share my stories with the
world.
Is
there anything else that you would like to add?
I invite you to take a
journey through the well house if you dare. Enjoy the ride.
From
above, Taylor heard a shrill scream and he opened his eyes again. Circling over
the house were several black shapes that made Taylor freeze with fear. He
stayed still on the lounge chair, pretending to be asleep. Taylor heard footsteps on the deck and looked
out of the corner of his eye in the direction of the sound. One of the black
creatures had landed about five feet from the lounge chair and walked slowly
toward him. Taylor continued to lie still, not daring to move. The creature
hopped up on the frame of the chair and opened its mouth. Taylor smelled a
sulfurous stench, making his stomach turn.
As
the creature inched forward, Taylor could no longer keep still. He bolted from
the lounge chair, yelling as loudly as he could, "Get the hell out of here.”
The
black creature jumped off the lounge chair and began circling to Taylor's left.
The creature was the size of a large raven, covered with feathers and scales.
Its beak gaped open in a hideous smile; its eyes glowed with a pale red cast.
The wings were held out slightly from the body, as if the creature was trying
to cool itself. Taylor moved back a step and noticed he was surrounded by seven
of these hideous things. They formed a tight circle around him. He was trapped.
Taylor stomped his feet in hopes that the creatures would take off, but they
stood their ground. Taylor kicked the closest creature, sending it flying
across the deck into the wall of the house, where it landed with a sickening
thud. It appeared to be unconscious, but in a few seconds the scaly creature
regained its senses and walked back to its original place in the circle.
"What
do you want?" Taylor yelled.
The
creatures started to shriek, causing Taylor to cover his ears. The pain was
excruciating and Taylor fell to his knees. Immediately the sound stopped.
Taylor saw that the creatures were changing shape. Their legs and torsos
elongated; their bodies took human form. Taylor stood frozen with fear. The
creature in front of him was now six feet tall and looked like a muscular soldier
covered with black scaly armor. A raven’s head was perched on top of the human
body; a red lizard-like tongue darted in and out of the large black beak. Human
arms and hands covered with black scales extended out from under the large
wings. Taylor felt strong hands grab him from behind and bind his arms to his
sides. He struggled, but was unable to move.
The largest creature approached and stopped within a few inches of
Taylor's face. Taylor looked into the eyes and could see flames flickering deep
in the sockets. The creature opened its mouth as if to speak, then breathed
into Taylor's face. A sick feeling rose in his stomach from the acidic stench.
His legs gave way, but strong hands held him upright.
"Are
you scared, boy?" the creature asked sarcastically.
Taylor
couldn't speak.
"Answer
me, you piece of crap."
Taylor
raised his head and whispered, "I'm not scared."
"Can't
hear you, boy!” the creature said.
"I'm
not scared,” Taylor yelled.
"Well,
you should be, boy, cause we're going to hurt you real bad. And then when your
father comes home we're going to have a barbecue. The main course will be
roasted Ben Carson. I bet you didn't think you were going to have Dad for lunch
today, did you, boy?"
"Who
are you?" Taylor asked.
"Just
a bunch of guys out for a little fun. Oh, by the way, your momma's dead, and so
is the baby."
"Shut
up, you bastard,” Taylor screamed.
The
creature let out a demonic laugh and grabbed Taylor by the front of his shirt.
"My boss doesn't like what your dad has been doing, so he sent us to give
him a message. Tell your dad to forget
the rescue. The bitch and the baby are ours. He'll know what we mean."
"Who's
your boss?" Taylor asked.
The
large creature let go of Taylor's shirt and walked to the edge of the deck.
"My boss is evil, not someone to screw with. That's all you need to
know."
The
creature turned, walked back to Taylor and said to the others, "Hold his
head."
Immediately
two of the creatures grabbed Taylor grabbed his head and held it immobile. The
black creature standing behind Taylor tightened its grip on his arms. Taylor
tried to struggle, but could not move. He had never felt such power.
"Listen
well, boy,” the large one said softly. "When your father comes home, tell
him about our visit. Let him know he is to stop all plans to save your mother.
In return, both you and he will live a long, successful life. I guarantee
it."
The
creature moved his face close to Taylor's face. "Look into my eyes. Do you
see the flames? This is serious stuff,
boy. Any questions?"
Taylor
said in a shaky voice, "No, I understand."
"Good!"
the creature said. "Oh, one more thing. I'm going to leave you with
something so your dad knows we are serious."
With the speed of a snake, the creature
inserted its open black beak into Taylor's right eye socket, grabbing the
eyeball, and crushing it slowly.
The
creature withdrew the beak and spit the crushed eyeball on the ground.
"And
now the other.”
Taylor
screamed as the beak slid into the left eye socket, crushing the remaining
eyeball. The other creatures released their grip and Taylor fell in a heap on
the wooden deck. The creatures shrank to their original size, and one by one
lifted off the deck and headed north.
Taylor
put his hands to his face and felt warm liquid flowing from his eyes. He opened
his eyelids, but no light reached his brain. In the distance, Taylor heard the
motor of his father's VW winding up the canyon.
