The Citizen, Denville, NJ 8-1-18
Denville author pens second horror novel • By Megan Roche Contributing Writer
Denville Township Author Mark Vogel has penned his second horror novel in the “Crestwood Lake” series.
DENVILLE TWP. – After much success with his first book titled “Crestwood Lake,” township resident and author Mark Vogel released the much anticipated sequel “Crestwood Lake 2: Satan’s Revenge” on July 18.
The original Crestwood Lake came out on April 3, 2015. Crestwood Lake is a story about a secluded town in Northern Vermont that is taken over by the devil and witches. The town was founded in the aftermath of the Salem Witch Trials.
The protagonist of the book, Capt. Butch Morgan, is unsure of what is going on in his town in the beginning with crazy deaths and strange things happening. Morgan and his friend Gil Pearson, a historian, eventually find that there is witchcraft taking over their town.
“Crestwood Lake 2: Satan’s Revenge” continues the saga of this northern Vermont town and promises readers more sinister and dark twists and turns. Vogel describes the second book as dark.
“Horror is the anchovies of the writing world. You either love it or hate it. I don’t find many people in between,” Vogel said.
Vogel is no stranger to writing. He began as a food writer in 2002, writing a column on food and wine called Food for Thought. He is even a trained chef, graduating in 2003 from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.
A clinical psychologist by day, Vogel uses his writing as an escape from his reality.
His inspiration comes from the late Edgar Allen Poe.
“Poe inspired me to try something out of my genre. First I wrote a horror poem that got published in a journal. From the poem, I decided to write a short story and from the short story, The Lake House, became the first chapter of Crestwood Lake,” Vogel said.
Vogel’s other passion? Jack the Ripper. He frequently lectures at local libraries on the Jack the Ripper case. This September, Vogel will travel to London to speak at a Jack the Ripper convention. He’s a fascinated observer of the infamous and unknown killer in England and belongs to a group known as “Ripperologists.”
Praise for the original “Crestwood Lake” have poured in. Many have asked Vogel for a second and third book.
“I think at some point I will do a Crestwood Lake 3. I’ve already gotten some ideas for a third book. I enjoy playing around with the characters and molding them how I want them to be,” Vogel said.
Vogel can be found around Denville at many street fairs and festivals autographing his beloved “Crestwood Lake” book. His book is also for sale on Amazon and his website markvogel.info.
“I didn’t expect it to take off. I was brand new to writing a novel so I didn’t know what to expect. I have had a lot of people email me and tell me they liked it very much,” Vogel said.
Vogel will be signing copies of his book at the Morris County Book and Bargain Barns, located on Pocono Road, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8.