Author

Alayna Kasimali

A teen author from Texas, writing psychological horror about identity, memory and what people see when they look at their own reflection.

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The book

A Symphony of Madness

Every reflection tells a story. Not every story tells the truth.

One character. Different worlds. A haunting reflection.

Through a series of psychological horror stories, Eve encounters distorted realities, fractured memories, and unsettling figures that seem to follow her from one story to the next.

But as each reflection reveals something different, one question becomes impossible to ignore:

What if she isn’t running from the things she fears? What if she is running from herself?

A collection about fear, identity, perception, and the unsettling places where the mind can take us.

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Look Inside

A few pages from the book, so you can see how it reads before you buy.

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What this book is about.

01

Eleven psychological horror stories, all of them carrying the same character

02

Mirrors, portraits, houses and forests that hold something back from the people in them

03

Fear written as a question about identity, memory and perception

04

Opens with "Blood In The Glass", a mirror delivered to a door with no return label

05

A first collection, written at fifteen

About the Author

Alayna Kasimali is a teen author from Texas. She has always been drawn to literature, particularly stories that explore human nature through a nuanced lens and the darker sides of the mind. Her writing often explores themes of identity, memory, perception and reflection, with a particular interest in psychological horror.

When she isn’t writing, Alayna can usually be found either reading, buying new books or finding ways to turn ordinary ideas into unsettling ones. You can find her on Instagram @readwithallyy_. A Symphony of Madness is her first collection of short stories.

Excerpts

A Symphony of Madness, Dedication

To the nightmares that fuel my creativity
And for the peculiar comfort of feeling fright

A Symphony of Madness, p. 1

Someone had delivered a coffin to her apartment.
At least, that’s what Eve thought it to be from a distance.
The package was unnaturally long and wrapped in an ancient looking cream paper.

A Symphony of Madness, p. 43

Mrs. Gilmore interrupted her asking, “Did your reflection move before you did?”
Eve’s blood drained from her face.
Her expression was answer enough.
She continued, “It begins with a delay. It slowly learns your movements. And then, it replaces.”