DENVER, CO: Earlier this week, Ben Settle, the author of the wildly popular horror novels (Zombie Cop, Vampire Apocalypse, Demon Crossfire, Evil Child, Werewolf Bastard, Hell’s Frankenstein, Lucifer’s Favorite) was kidnapped by four rabid teenage fans at a social-distanced book signing.
On Saturday, January 9th, the four teenagers – Tyler Vinson, Jackie Ballard, Casey Yon, and Shana Ruiz – traveled from Grand Junction, Colorado to Denver. They had heard the author was appearing at a DoubleTree Hotel in Denver. The teenagers consider themselves his “number one fans” and wanted to meet him in person. They also had some great ideas for his next book they wanted to tell him about.
Tyler (16) borrowed his mother’s car. He told them he was taking his friends skiing for the day. The teens left early in the morning and arrived in Denver by the 11 am book-signing. There were many protocols in place due to the pandemic. But the kids saw their hero, Ben Settle, in a room signing books. They were beyond ecstatic. They couldn’t wait to meet him.
Last January, the four teens had read Ben’s latest book — Enoch Wars: Omega Edition — together and decided he was the greatest living author. They pretended to be characters in his novels and dressed up for school in Enoch Wars costumes. Casey often wondered what their favorite author would be like in real life. The teens were determined to meet him one day. They also wanted to get him to write another book, one that they had come up with. They were sure he would love their idea.
Then, it happened. They saw that he would be in Denver. And now they were just 20 yards away from him.
BIG DAY SPOILED?
But the folks running the event wouldn’t let them in. They hadn’t bought tickets to the book-signing and there were only limited spots available. A teenage witness, Janice Roos, told Weekly World News that she saw the four teens in the hallway.
“They looked so sad. The girls were crying and the boys were agitated, pacing,” Roos said. “One of the boys, I think I heard him say his name was Tyler, he was talking a whole lot. They really wanted to get in, but the security people wouldn’t let them see the author..”
According to Roos the four teens finally left the hotel. It appeared that they had given up and gone home.
MEETING BEN SETTLE!
Weekly World News’ book editor, Elsa Akesson happened to be at the event. Elsa was actually scheduled to have an interview with Ben Settle after the book signing. Apparently, Ben Settle had recently met a Bigfoot Zombie and Elsa wanted to get the full scoop.
But Elsa never got her BZ scoop. She sat. down with Ben Settle – six-feet apart, of course – in a private area near the conference room. That’s when the four teens came rushing into the area.
“They were beyond excited – like their whole world depended on meeting Ben Settle. They were yelling things like “we’re your number fans”, “we drove four hours to see you”, “I wanna be you,” “we have the best idea for you,” as they moved closer to the author. Ben Settle seemed to get nervous and back away from the kids. He asked the kids to slow down, but they were too excited. Then one of the boys, Casey, accidentally knocked the author to the ground. That got him upset.
The author got up, brushed himself off, and asked the teens to leave. “Please go, this is not how you behave. I’m in the middle of an important interview!”
Ben Settle began yelling for security. The kids realized that not only were they not going to get his signature, but also he was mad at them. Elsa tried to talk to the teens, tell them to calm down, and try again some other time. But that just got them more riled up.
SNATCHING BEN SETTLE
The teens then made a bold move. Tyler pulls out a pair of handcuffs and slapped them on a shocked Ben Settle. Casey and Shana knocked the author to the ground and Jackie put a cute “Enoch Wars” sock in his mouth. She apologized as she did so. They wrapped a big garbage bag around him, put him on a luggage cart and rolled him out of the room and building before security arrived.
Why didn’t Elsa try to stop them? “We just report on the news, we don’t make the news,” Elsa said. “Plus I have a Bigfoot Zombie story to write.”
The teens got away with Ben Settle. Where did they take the author? What are they doing to him?
Weekly World news is following this story closely and will report with updates.
CLICK HERE to check out Ben Settle’s books.
Very funny… But all said, The Enoch Wars was my first and loved reading: I didn’t do anything until I finished it it was so engaging. And to boot, I got to know Ben Settle’s ‘real’ persona… and that is quite loveable.
If you like funky and horror and action, no better book than the Enoch Wars… in my humble opinion.
I think I spotted Ben last night in Hygiene, Colorado. He was dressed up like Elvis in ass less chaps standing in line at the Whacky Weed Dispensary. Does he have a mole that looks like Mickey Mouse on his left butt cheek? If so that was him. I am not sure he was kidnapped, I think maybe he staged the whole thing. Randy I. Candy – Intercourse, PA