Shaun M Jooste 
The fog rolls heavily over the bayou as a chilling new tale emerges from the depths of Southern Gothic horror. Corvina Sweeney, celebrated for her eerie storytelling and deep Louisiana roots, returns with a haunting new novel: Having Sam for Dinner.
Set in the mysterious town of Slaughter, Louisiana, this gothic mystery plunges readers into a world where charm and danger walk hand in hand, and nothing is ever as it seems. With whispers of voodoo, buried secrets, and a romance wrapped in shadow, Sweeney’s latest release promises to keep readers breathless until the final page.
What is Having Sam for Dinner about?
In Having Sam for Dinner, Corvina Sweeney invites us into Slaughter, Louisiana, a town soaked in secrets and wrapped in the dense, whispering fog of the bayou. When Sam arrives, he’s hoping for peace and a fresh start. Instead, he meets Ellen: magnetic, mysterious, and steeped in local lore. Their connection is instant and intense, but Slaughter is no ordinary town, and Ellen is no ordinary woman.
As Sam becomes entwined in Ellen’s life and the town’s eerie charm, he begins to sense something darker lurking beneath the surface. Strange disappearances stir suspicion, while Ellen struggles with a secret she’s bound by blood and ritual to protect. Love and danger begin to blur as Sam digs deeper into Slaughter’s haunted past, and closer to a truth that could devour him.
Gothic, seductive, and rich in Southern atmosphere, Having Sam for Dinner is a tale where romance tangles with ritual, and the dead never truly rest.
Who is Corvina Sweeney?
Corvina Sweeney is a rising voice in modern gothic horror, known for weaving haunting tales from the misty edges of the American South. Born and raised near New Orleans, she grew up surrounded by folklore, voodoo whispers, and ghost stories passed down through generations. Her writing draws heavily from these eerie traditions, blending mystery, macabre beauty, and emotional depth into every page.
Writing from the liminal, those eerie in-between spaces where the living and the dead still speak, Sweeney crafts stories that linger long after the final chapter. Her fiction is rooted in the shadows of forgotten tragedies and the magic of place, especially the slow, spellbound rhythm of the Louisiana bayous.
She is also a proud member of the Dark Veil Society, an elite circle of indie horror authors celebrated for their boundary-pushing, genre-defining work. With Having Sam for Dinner, Corvina once again proves why she’s a name to watch in contemporary gothic literature.
A hauntingly beautiful launch night
Last night, Corvina Sweeney celebrated the release of Having Sam for Dinner with an intimate local book launch held at a nearby hotel. Surrounded by close friends, family, and fellow writers, she delivered a heartfelt speech that captured the emotional depth and gothic heart of her new novel.
The event was a fitting tribute to the book’s Southern mystery and supernatural charm: warm, atmospheric, and touched by the eerie beauty that defines her storytelling.
🎥 Watch a moment from her speech below, shared by fellow author Moira Ashe, who recently published her debut supernatural thriller, Echoes of Betrayal:
Sink into the shadows of Slaughter
Having Sam for Dinner isn’t just a gothic mystery; it’s an invitation to step into a world where charm disguises danger, and love comes with a chilling price. Corvina Sweeney has once again proven her gift for crafting stories that crawl under your skin and stay there, rich with atmosphere and steeped in the eerie beauty of the Deep South. With the book now available and the launch warmly received by fans and peers alike, there’s no better time to discover what secrets lie hidden in Slaughter, Louisiana.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of gothic fiction or simply craving something darkly enchanting, Having Sam for Dinner delivers suspense, romance, and the haunting allure of old rituals. Don’t miss your chance to fall under its spell.
📚 Grab your copy now: https://amzn.to/4l6Vr3H
