Baba Yaga by CS Jones

 Happy Release Day, CS Jones!

Baba Yaga is CS Jones' third book (he's also featured in the Bloody Hell Anthology), and he's a name you're going to want to get familiar with. Jones, an indie author from Wales, is a newer addition to the indie horror scene, publishing his first work (Colours) in March of this year. His books all currently stand at 4.5-star ratings and above, which is no easy feat. Readers applaud his ability to draw you in and force you to keep reading, creating an atmosphere of dread that's impossible to turn away from. He's just getting started, so get in on the ground floor and see for yourself why readers can't put his books down.

The synopsis for Baba Yaga is as follows:

From C S Jones comes Baba Yaga, a new novelette just in time for Halloween.

Deep within the darkest recesses of an old Slavic forest, a band of German deserters are on the run. Disillusioned and scared witless, they have fled the Eastern Front, their goal to return to their families and start anew.

Unfortunately for them, the tales of the local witch, the Baba Yaga are more than just backwoods superstition used to scare children. She is elemental, an evil so ancient, to cross paths will bring about a terrible price. Soon, their goal will not be about escape, but about survival, and the Baba Yaga is watching every step.

Here's a short Q&A with Jones:

Q: What was it about the lore of Baba Yaga specifically that made you want to write a story inspired by it?

A: I've always loved tales grounded in this world. Okay, maybe it is just that, a tale. But there's a familiarity to it all. People recognize the world and its rules. Also, I'm new to all this, and while I have also added my own creations to my work, I felt having my own spin on something familiar was a great way to showcase what I'm about.

Q: This isn't your first book centered around an urban legend/popular myth. Have you always been interesting in these types of stories? 

A: I love lore and the darker aspects to this world. It makes me curious as to how these old tales and beliefs might be interpreted if encountered in the modern age. Also, there's a certain terror in its uncertainty. With the world at your fingertips with phones these days, it's a reminder that there used to be a lot more mystery in the world. 

Q: Are you currently working on any other projects? Is there any other lore our there that you're keeping in mind as inspiration for future books?

A: There's a novel done that's looking at early next year release and also a folk horror tale I'm hoping to have out in time for Christmas. We'll see, I suppose! Those aside, there's certainly a handful of stories I want to tell. I may or may not have jumped the gun and got the covers already!

I love a unique twist that offers something new based on stories we know. Urban legends and lore are beloved for a reason; they're the tales that kept us up at night, peeking through the covers at our closet, ready to leap up and run to mom and dad at the slightest creak of the floorboards or groan of the pipes. If you're after that same feeling, check out CS Jones' books. You can grab yourself a copy of Baba Yaga today by clicking here.