Salvatore J. Vassallo
Town: Westminster, MA
I’ve been reaching out to local authors to learn a little more about who they are and what they write. Salvatore Vassallo of Westminster was kind enough to answer a few of my questions — my questions, his answers, no rewriting. Writers tend to say it better themselves anyway. 🙂
What got you writing?
I have had a passion for it since grade school and writing professionally since my high school years; starting as sports reporter for local Central Mass papers. I’ve spent a career writing technical documentation for electro-mechanical products. It was after a layoff three years ago when my wife quipped, “You’ve always threatened to write the next Great American Novel, if not now, when?” I took her prodding to heart and started The Blake Pond Cut.
What drew you to folk horror?
Many people consider Spooky Season to last from late September to Halloween. For me, it’s a year-round love for all things odd and eerie. Out of the many horror genres, the foreboding undertone of folk horror resonates the most. It’s the sense of dread where the land itself works against the protagonists as much as whatever is lurking in the forest. Superstitions, ancient belief systems, and myths then amplify the gloom. Themes of witchcraft and demonology serve well for slow-burn scares. A lot of great folk horror is set in the New England woods where I’ve spent a lot of time.
Is Blake Pond a real place, and what inspired the story?
Blake Pond is purely fictional yet grounded in countless experiences I have had while fishing, hiking, and camping in backwoods of northern New Hampshire and Vermont. Throughout my life I have been blessed with family members and dear friends who have been so magnetic and charismatic that they were almost caricatures of real people. These loved ones have joined me on many crazy adventures, and their traits shaped the characters in my novels.
Published
The Blake Pond Cut (Folk horror, 2024)
On March 4, 1983, four lifelong friends disappeared into the remote Vermont woods for their annual fishing trip. What they found at Blake Pond changed them forever. Eight years later, two return — this time with a paranormal film crew, determined to uncover the truth.
They should have stayed away.
As buried secrets surface and something in the woods begins to stir, the group is pulled into a nightmare far worse than memory. At Blake Pond, the past doesn’t stay buried… and some things were never meant to be found.
The Blake Pond Cut is a chilling story of friendship, loyalty, and survival — where the cost of facing the truth may be everything.
Elesia’s Savior (Folk horror, sequel to The Blake Pond Cut, 2025
Elesia McGrath is in freefall after a tragedy she can’t undo. When a stranger offers her a way out, she takes it.
But nothing is free.
As an ancient demon begins to tighten its grip, Elesia finds herself caught in a web of manipulation she barely understands — one that twists her thoughts, her choices… and the lives of those around her.
Far from Blake Pond, former federal agent Michael Russo is pulled out of retirement when a young woman vanishes in the wilderness. Reuniting with Calvin Washington, he tracks a brutal killer through the mountains — only to uncover something far more insidious.
Because the real threat isn’t just what’s hunting in the dark.
It’s what’s pulling the strings.
And as Elesia is drawn deeper under its influence, one truth becomes clear:
She may not just be a victim.
She may be the weapon.
Elesia’s Savior is a chilling descent into control, corruption, and the terrifying cost of losing yourself.
In the Works
Fictional writing is unfortunately still a hobby rather than a full-time gig. I have, however, kept the pilot light flickering. For what comes next… I’m leaning towards compiling a collection of short stories or perhaps novellas. It’s safe to say that at least some of these tales will inhabit the same universe as my first two books.
Where to Buy
Both titles are available on Amazon in paperback, eBook, or included with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
I’m always flattered to sign books and occasionally drop an author copy in a local book bin.
Connect with Salvatore
- Amazon: Salvatore J. Vassallo
- Goodreads: Salvatore J. Vassallo
- Email: sal_vassallo1972@yahoo.com
