, 
Luverne High School graduate Rona Vaselaar has authored a book, “Colors of Death, Fifteen Tales of Horror,” released in October online and in bookstores.
The series of short horror stories are described on the book’s back cover: “Humanity has long been fascinated by its darkest hours, secretly thrilled with terror and death, musing endlessly over visions of supernatural horrors lurking in dark corners,” the description states.
“This book follows our impulses into the shadows of the mind and what lies beyond it, tracing through death and, sometimes, even further.”
On Amazon.com, three out of three reviewers gave Vaselaar’s book five out of five stars.
“If you enjoy suspenseful horror that has excellent character development and vivid imagery, Rona is the author for you,” one reviewer wrote.
“I loved this book,” wrote another. “Each story had it's own feel and identity; the twists were a surprise; and the writing was outstanding.”
“Good luck sleeping again after reading this,” wrote the third reviewer.
Vaselaar herself is an unlikely author of horror fiction. At age 21, she is a senior at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana studying Chinese.
She has studied abroad twice in China, in 2013 and 2015 and is considering a career in teaching English to people in China.
But Vaselaar keeps in touch with her creative English side by posting fiction stories on thoughtcatolog.com, a website that publishes submitted stories and ideas.
She’s been paid for stories and podcasts (actors’ voices portray her stories) — she’s posted dozens on the site this year alone — and she was eventually approached about publishing some of them in a book.
Vaselaar said she’s always had a fascination with horror, even at a young age. “Some people are drawn to science fiction. I just happen to be drawn to horror,” she said.
“I like the feeling of being scared just as much as I like scaring other people. Fear is perhaps the most natural part of the human condition, making it the most interesting to explore.”
When asked if her work could be compared with that of author Stephen King, Vaselaar humbly said she couldn’t hope to compare her style on that creative level.
“King has amazing talent that hasn't been seen in the horror scene in decades, perhaps centuries,” she said. “However, he is one of my greatest influences, and I think that it probably reflects in my work.”
The site offers a paragraph “about the author” that describes Vaselaar this way, “Growing up in a small town in rural Minnesota, she developed a love for horror and literature at a young age, fueled by the town’s small, one-room library and the plethora of local urban legends. Her family includes her father, mother, an older brother and an older sister.”
Her parents are Eric and Meredith Vaselaar, rural Adrian, and her siblings are Eldon and Samantha.
“Colors of Death” is published by Thought Catalog Books and can be purchased on Amazon, Apple and Barnes and Noble in print or digital format.