The Room Where Mama Prayed. This item is unavailable.The Room Where Mama Prayed

In Willow's Crossing, the past doesn't stay buried.
It waits.

Mara Greene thought she had already faced the worst of it-the restless spirits of Willow Street and the secrets hidden inside Mount Zion Baptist Church. But nothing has prepared her for the truth waiting inside her grandmother's house... or the room no one will talk about.

Twelve years ago, Mara's mother died in a car accident.
That's the story the town told.
That's the story her family accepted.

But every night at 3:17 a.m., the house tells a different one.

The clock stops.
The air fills with the scent of gardenias.
And the room where her mother once prayed begins to stir with something unseen.

Drawn by her gift-and the growing sense that something isn't right-Mara is pulled into a mystery rooted in grief, silence, and spiritual fear. As memories resurface and the presence in the house grows stronger, she begins to realize that what happened the night her mother died was never fully understood... and never truly laid to rest.

In a town where faith and fear have always walked hand in hand, Mara must confront the truth her family buried-and the spirit that refuses to be ignored.

Because some hauntings aren't meant to harm.
Some are meant to reveal.

And some truths demand to be spoken-no matter the cost.

Series Note

The Room Where Mama Prayed is Book 3 in the Haunts of Willow Crossing series-a haunting, emotional journey through grief, faith, family secrets, and the supernatural.

Hi! I'm Albert Scales, an author and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). I am an African American writer who grew up in the inner cities of Essex County, New Jersey, with family roots that trace back to the plantations of the Carolinas. My work is shaped by that history-by the stories carried through generations, the resilience within our communities, and the quiet truths that often go unspoken.

I am the creator of the Brave on the Inside children's book series, which features a young Black girl navigating themes of self-confidence, courage, emotional awareness, and finding her voice. These stories are written for children who may feel unseen or uncertain, while also creating space for meaningful conversations between children, parents, and educators.

I also write cozy-horror fiction from an African American perspective, blending elements of the supernatural with cultural memory, family history, and community life. My stories focus less on fear and more on atmosphere-exploring how the past lingers, how places hold memory, and how healing can emerge from the truths we inherit.

Across all of my work, I center African American experiences with care, intention, and emotional depth-creating stories that are reflective, grounded, and rooted in both history and humanity.