Tag Archives: Ghosts

January 10, 2023 · 8:02 am

The Grimoire of Caligari by Stephen B King ~ A Friday the 13th Story Series ~ #Fridaythe13th #Blog #Fri13thStories

Happy 2023! It’s almost release day for a series of horror short stories revolving around Friday the 13th. I will be sharing each story on my post, one per day. Today, I’m pleased to welcome Stephen B King (NO, not THAT Stephen King – he’sthe Australian one.) with his story, The Grimoire of Caligari…

 

Fun Fact:

dark cloak in mysterious forest,wizard,sorcerer,illustration

After having 16 books published, I can honestly say I had the most fun I’ve ever had writing The Grimoire of Caligari. My loyal readers know that mostly I write serious psychological thrillers featuring serial killers. A study of the mind when it fractures, is a subject that has always fascinated me. A good friend of mine is a well renowned psychologist (though he works in high stress level recruitment, such as underground mining etc) and my youngest daughter has a degree in criminal psychology and justice (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree) – both have given me invaluable insights into varying psychosis. I think we would all agree, serial killers must be insane in some form, or another, wouldn’t we?  Mass murderers are ‘my thing,’ much to my wife’s chagrin, and I love writing about them.

In this story I was able to tell a tale not only steeped in my favorite subject, but I could also add the dark horror element of trying to reanimate the dead (a respectful nod to my more famous namesake) along with medieval history. Once I had the inspiration of Lucian Brufos’ struggle with deepest grief and guilt imaginable, the words flowed from me as if from a faucet I couldn’t turn off. It was as if they were coming through me, not from me; if that makes sense?

I believe that guilt can be one of the most powerful triggers for psychotic episodes, and poor Lucian blames himself entirely for the tragic death of his wife and twin daughters. Under such circumstances, who of us would not want to bring our loved ones back to life if we possibly could? When Lucian meets The Dark Man, who calls himself Jolly, (a character I have featured in two previous books: Glimpse, the Tender Killer, and Glimpse, the Angel Shot) he is flung headlong into the search for The Grimoire of Caligari. Caligari was a famous wizard who was burnt at the stake by the Catholic Church in Italy five hundred years before. Jolly assures Lucian he knows where the Grimoire had been buried, and that it contains the spells necessary to assist in a black magic ceremony to bring back Lucian’s wife and daughters from the grave. Lucian is more than willing to do anything to make that happen, despite a young girl who resembles an antique doll who repeatedly warns him not to, and that he will die if he continues.

The question for the reader is: Is Jolly a figment of Lucian’s troubled mind, or could he be some evil entity forcing him to comply?

*** Pre-Order the Friday the 13th stories for only 99 cents!!! 

 

Stephen

Ancient history lecturer Lucian Brufos has suffered the worst tragedy imaginable; his wife and twin daughters were killed in a car accident leaving him alone and so depressed he attempts to end his life. When he wakes he refuses to speak and is committed to a psychiatric ward for evaluation where he meets The Dark Man who calls himself Jolly. Jolly assures Lucian he can help bring Lucian’s family back from the grave, but to do so, he must find one of the world’s most famous wizards in history’s book of spells, The Grimoire of Caligari.

Excerpt:

“Lucian,” he said softly that first time he spoke in his sickly syrupy voice. “Lucian, can you hear me?”

I turned slowly, feeling some invisible hand tugging on my forehead, so I had to look at him. He was sitting on a straight-backed chair alongside me, which I don’t recall being there before. He wore a long black jacket, the kind a pilgrim father might wear, a black shirt with a black string bow tie. I glanced down and noted his pants were black, as were the western-style boots with scuffed toes. He held what looked like an ancient Bible, though I didn’t see a cross embossed on its cover, so it may not have been a holy book. “There’s no need to speak if you don’t want to; just think of any words you might have and project them. I can hear your thoughts just as easily as if you speak, so don’t fret. Or you can nod for yes and shake for no if you prefer. Is that all right with you, Lucian?”

I recall, with absolute clarity, that I turned back to the window and thought, please, just go away and leave me alone.

And then, something weird happened. It was as clear as a bell tolling out midnight. I heard him speak, but this time, not with my ears, but in my mind. “Oh yes, Lucian, I could leave you alone to suffer in your silent world of pain and angst. But then, if I did, I wouldn’t be able to show you how you could be reunited with Connie and the twins, could I? There is a way I can help you do that, but the question is, are you brave enough to converse with me to find out how to reanimate their corpses?”

thumbnail_40EAE6EB-E358-4EDA-8216-1B8EBB6C3AF1

 

Bio:

I left school very early to join a rock band, and spent a few years writing poems, short stories and music. I’ve won two short story writing competitions, had poems published, and enjoyed being a long-haired rock guitarist before life got in the way and I settled down, married and had children. I’ve owned my own businesses and managed large vehicle sales dealerships and observed people from all walks of life. It is these observations which has aided in creating characters. Contact me at: steve@stephen-b-king.com. Tell me if you think Jolly is real……..

Find all 13 stories at this link: A Friday the 13th Story #3

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 9, 2023 · 5:52 pm

The Thirteenth Victim by Mary Coley ~ A Friday the 13th Story Series ~ #Fridaythe13th #Blog #Fri13thStories

Happy 2023! It’s almost release day for a series of horror short stories revolving around Friday the 13th. I will be sharing each story on my post, one per day. Today, I’m pleased to welcome Mary Coley with her story, The Thirteenth Victim…

 

Fun Fact:

 

Depositphotos_94367448_XL

I spent the night as a guest in the house I’ve written about, and decided it would be a locale for future stories! Spirits are lurking everywhere.  

*** Pre-Order the Friday the 13th stories for only 99 cents!!! 

Mary

Serial killer Zander Murphee’s hunt for his Thirteenth Victim gets derailed when he moves into a Tulsa mansion and the neighbors come calling. 

Excerpt:

As the elevator car inched upward, Zander studied the interior. Padded leather walls on three sides, stained carpet on the floor. The elevator jerked to a stop.

The door remained closed. He punched the OPEN button. Nothing. He punched TWO again. The elevator twitched. 

He punched ONE hoping the contraption would return to the first floor of the house. The low hum of the motor didn’t change. 

Sweat trickled through his eyebrows and into his eyes. His vision blurred. He blinked and peered at the inspection sticker again. Now it appeared to show an inspection date of fifty years ago, not last month. He rubbed his eyes and they stung with his perspiration. 

The elevator lurched. The lightbulb in the sconce flickered once, twice, three times and went out. 

“Freaking elevator. Help!”

He pounded on the wall even though he knew Desiree was long gone. He punched on the flashlight feature of his cell phone and shone it on the elevator’s control panel. He punched each of the keys with no result. The elevator didn’t even twitch. 

Was there an exit panel on the roof? He shone the flashlight up.

A grinning head hung suspended in space above him. A drop of drool eased over the bottom lip of the apparition and fell past his face to the stained carpet at his feet. A wave of  cold air passed over him. He froze in place. More drool cascaded down from the mouth of the distorted wide-eyed face. 

5a9edlv5fvn73mg0p46htlbopi._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_

Bio:

Mary Coley usually writes mysteries. As an early reader with a voracious reader father, she was exposed to horror early on through Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft and Stephen King. She says that her story, The Thirteenth Victim, was easy to write, and “felt like coming home” in many ways. She recalls that her first penned stories in middle school were horror stories.

Coley set her story in Tulsa, OK, where she has lived for more than 25 years. Her character, Zander Murphee, is an antique dealer and an undiscovered serial killer. Intending to continue his murderous pursuits in a new locale, he relocates to Tulsa and buys an historic oil mansion with the help of Desiree Smythe, a gorgeous realtor who is assisting with a for-sale-by-owner house.

Both the mansion and Desiree meet all his expectations, but all is not as it seems. Zander encounters unwanted visitors to his home on the day he moves in, including insects, rodents, and—he refuses to believe it—ghosts.

Coley has eight published mysteries, a non-fiction children’s book and numerous short stories to her credit. In 2018 she won the Tony Hillerman Award from New Mexico/Arizona books, and was awarded the Oklahoma Book Award for Fiction in 2022 for her mystery, Blood on the Mother Road. Visit her website at https://www.marycoley.com .

The Thirteenth Victim  will appear as a Friday the 13th Story, releasing January 13, 2023 on Amazon as an ebook, and in the anthology of the same name which includes 13 creepy stories by 13 authors.

Find all 13 stories at this link: A Friday the 13th Story #3

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 6, 2023 · 10:20 am

Rosemary by Connor Treadway ~ A Friday the 13th Story Series ~ #Fridaythe13th #Blog #Fri13thStories

Happy 2023! It’s almost release day for a series of horror short stories revolving around Friday the 13th. I will be sharing each story on my post, one per day. Today, I’m pleased to welcome Connor Treadway with their story, Rosemary…

Fun Fact:

 

dreamstime,canstock,veer,123rf,deposit,panther,fotolia,bigstock,pond5

Connor Treadway is the pen name for a writing team based in northeastern Florida. When brainstorming ideas for the story, they realized “Old Florida” is the perfect setting for a horror story with Gothic flair.

*** Pre-Order the Friday the 13th stories for only 99 cents!!! 

Rosemary IG (1)

 

 Disturbing dreams that feel all too real…

When Ivy Powers inherits her great-aunt’s gorgeous but neglected Victorian home, it feels like a dream come true. Recently divorced and eager to leave a job she hates, Ivy relocates from New Jersey to Passaway, Florida. The tiny hamlet is the type of place tourists visit for a taste of Old Florida–spanish moss dripping from craggy old oak trees and gators in the swamps.

Ivy’s dream soon turns into a nightmare when she begins renovations on the old house and its overgrown rose gardens. Her sleep is plagued by visions of a shrouded woman, a reflecting ball, and the scent of rosemary, which lingers even after she wakes. The mysterious old man who watches from an attic window next door also spooks her, until he persuades her to join him for tea in the garden, an afternoon custom he shared with his late wife.

Are the dark forces invading Ivy’s dreams a threat…or a warning? Can she find the truth before it’s too late or will the garden claim her and bury her with the rest of its secrets?

 

A Friday the 13th Short Story: 13 authors ~ 13 suspenseful stories. Murder and mayhem on Friday the 13th… Find each story in the series on Amazon.

Excerpt:

Tonight, the pockets of shadows created by great swags of Spanish moss and dense sprawl of bushes seemed darker and denser. Instead of guarding the garden’s secrets, the inky depths yawned like gaping chasms into some kind of hellish underground. Rosemary hunched in the wheelchair, pulling the blanket higher as if to ward off some vague threat.

“I’m safe here,” she reminded herself in a whisper, slowly scanning the area as if to identify the source of her disquiet.

Everything appeared unchanged—the sprawling canopy of live oak limbs, the looping ropes of kudzu and spiky palmetto fans, the path of cracked stone pavers that zig-zagged off in both directions, the squares of yellow light from nearby houses masked by leafy branches, the gleam of the sun’s final glow flaming ominously in the mirrored gazing ball set atop a pedestal on the other edge of the clearing where Rosemary had set up the bistro table and chairs years ago after she and Jeremiah were first married.

Finally, she realized what was different. It was the silence. No cicadas sang. No whippoorwills called from the woods. Not even a mosquito hummed in the clinging shroud of moisture. Usually, summer nights buzzed with a riot of sound—the deafening roar of cicadas, the hoot of barred owls, the scrabble of lizards in the undergrowth, the muted sounds of domestic activities as neighbors settled in for the night, the musical clatter of windchimes, the huff and puff of wind as if the garden itself was inhaling and exhaling.

The quiet swelled into a pulsing presence that filled the garden, throbbing against Rosemary’s eardrums, immobilizing her body, blurring her vision. She wondered if she was having a heart attack, but the sharp snap of fingers inches from her nose pulled her from the invisible mire.

“Goddamn, woman. It’s too early to fall asleep.” Jeremiah’s tone was harsh, impatient, angry. Blinking to clear her sight, Rosemary cringed away from her husband’s scowl which suddenly transformed into a benevolent grin that was somehow even more frightening. “Don’t want you to miss our evening tradition, my dear. Time for me and you. Together. Just us. All alone in your beautiful garden.”

Connor Treadway

 

Bio:

Connor Treadway is a pen name for the writing team behind Gothic thrillers and mysteries. The duo is based in northeastern Florida.

Find all 13 stories at this link: A Friday the 13th Story #3

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 2, 2021 · 9:30 am

#HobbyCareerPassion: Debby Grahl ~ Sundae My Love ~ at Sand Lake, Where Ghosts Bring Two Lovers Back Together ~ #WRPgrp #Blog #AHAgrp

Welcome to my weekly feature where authors share about the hobbies, careers, or passions of their characters.

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Debby Grahl…

Sundae My Love – at Sand Lake,

Where Ghosts Bring  Two Lovers Back Together 

 Hi, I’m Samantha Murray, and Sundae My Love is the story of my family’s ice cream business. The Murrays have called Sand Lake, in the Irish Hills of Michigan, home since the nineteen fifties.

After my grandparents retired, I took over the running of the Dairy Delight. Lake-goers have enjoyed our Neapolitan Nectar milk shake for generations, but now Zack Hunter, the love of my life and the man who broke my heart, is back in town and threatens my business.

Hey there, I’m Zack Hunter, and I also grew up on Sand Lake. I left to go to college out west and have returned with a degree in architecture. You see, my grandparents built Frontier Town, a tourist attraction near the lake. The buildings have stood empty for years, and it’s been my dream to restore them and add an old-fashioned ice cream shop. The problem is the land I need to use adjoins the Dairy Delight. I have to confess I messed up pretty badly and hurt Samantha when I left. But I’ve realized my mistake, and I’m home and plan on winning back the woman I love.

When Wild Rose Press requested stories for their Two Scoops or One anthology, I knew my family’s home on Sand Lake was the perfect setting. Even though I’ve changed the characters’ names, the people actually exist. The house, built in the late nineteenth century, is as I describe, including the ghosts. I haven’t seen them, but, along with my cousins, we’ve heard them. Doors slam, floorboards creak, and footsteps go up and down the stairs.

Across the lake on US 12, there’s a drive-up ice cream shop, and down the road the empty buildings of a frontier town still stand. When I was young, my cousins and I would sit in the saloon wearing our western shirts and moccasins drinking root beer. We’d hop on the stagecoach which was always held up by outlaws. 

The Irish Hills is a rural area in southeast Michigan. There’s farm land, a number of lakes, woods of maples and oaks and dogwoods. I now live on Hilton Head Island, SC, but each summer I go home to the lake where I enjoy spending time with all my cousins, going out for ice cream, and reminiscing about growing up in such a beautiful place.

Can ancestral ghosts bring Samantha and Zack back together to fulfill all their dreams?

Sundae My Love Blurb

As manager of the Dairy Delight, Samantha Murray is dismayed to discover her past love is back and plans on building a rival business next door.

Zack Hunter returns to Sand Lake to win back Samantha and fulfill his grandfather’s dreams by restoring Frontier Town, a tourist attraction once owned by his grandparents, and adding an old-fashioned ice cream parlor.

Samantha is heartbroken over Zack’s past betrayal and struggles, conflicted over the love she can’t deny, but resolved to stop his building plans.

Zack is torn between his love for Samantha and his determination to follow through with his grandfather’s legacy.

Convinced the two are desperately in need of help, the family ghosts intervene to bring them together and solve their differences.

Sundae My Love excerpt

In the living room, a female shape materialized. Her     long dress swirled around her ankles, and the heels of  her high button shoes tapped across the hardwood floor. “Good grief, Angus, I wanted you to make them meet on  the lake, not have Zack run Samantha down,” Patricia Murray said with exasperation.

In a Queen Anne style chair, a male form appeared. “Patricia, it wasn’t my fault. Thaddeus was sitting next  to Zack and took control of the wheel.” He removed his pipe from his shirt pocket. Puffs of translucent smoke soon filled the room. “But it worked out.”

Hands on her hips, Patricia glowered. “Worked out! Are you kidding? What should have been a romantic reunion has made Samantha even more upset.” Patricia shook her head. “Samantha and Zack are perfect for  each other. It’s beyond me why that boy broke her heart and now is making matters worse by threatening the  Dairy Delight.” She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t seem too surprised over Zack’s plans. Did you already know about this?”

Angus squirmed in his seat. “Ah, well.”

“You did. Angus Murray, I can see it in your eyes. You’ve known all about this and didn’t tell me. This is why you’ve been gone so much lately. I’ll bet you and Thaddeus have been over there watching every move he’s made.”

“The boy is doing a top-rate job restoring the buildings. I can’t tell you how pleased Thaddeus is. You  know how much that place meant to him.”

“What about Zack’s disregard for Samantha and the  Dairy Delight?”

“Patricia, we’ve watched over our family for three generations. And no matter what problem occurs, they manage to work it out.”

Patricia threw up her arms in exasperation. “Sometimes situations need to be helped along. Samantha is on her way to confront Zack. Go over there and see what happens.”

“You want me to spy on my great-great-granddaughter?”

“Yes. It’s for her own good.”

 “Why don’t you go?”

“Because Thaddeus is your friend, not mine.      Besides, I promised Virginia Bradly I’d visit this afternoon. You know how lonely she gets when her  family is gone.”

Angus sighed, then stood. He placed his pipe in his pocket, adjusted his suspenders, straightened his bow tie, kissed his wife’s cheek, and vanished.

  Amazon Author Page — https://www.amazon.com/Debby-Grahl/e/B00B34HM26

 

Bio:

Debby lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset. Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, New York City, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England, and her home state of Michigan. She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books.

Sundae My Love, in the Two Scoops or One anthology from The Wild Rose Press, will be  released June 30. Her other books  are Mountain Blaze, His Magic Touch, Decorated to Death, Rue Toulouse, and The Silver Crescent.

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/debbygrahlauthor?ref=br_rs

 

8 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, For Writers, Hobbies...Careers...Passions, New Release

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

February 25, 2020 · 10:46 am

#HobbyCareerPassion: A Passion For Paranormal by Robert Herold

Welcome to my weekly feature where authors share about the hobbies, careers, or passions of their characters.

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Robert Herold…

A Passion For Paranormal

We all feel a little unnerved when the power goes out, when we are plunged into darkness, when we are booked into a room on the 13th floor, or when 13 is missing from the elevator options, and most especially when people we know pass away. People have huddled around fires since ancient times to keep away their fears, both real and imagined. Today, when the power goes out, we cluster around that scented candle on the coffee table, or that flashlight app on one’s cell phone—until the battery wears out. Are we really so different from those in the past?

Imagine it is 1885, the beginning of the modern era. Science is making new strides in hitherto unexplored areas: chemistry, physics, psychology, even applying the scientific method to the hereafter – exposing frauds and maybe, just maybe, proving the existence of life after death. This was a passionate sideline for William James, a real figure from history. He was a famed Harvard professor, father of American psychology, and brother to the famous writer Henry James (author of The Turn of the Screw, among many others).

Professor William James helped found the American branch of the Society for Psychical Research, who applied the scientific method to investigations of the supernatural. Eventually the group in America became headed by a dogmatic skeptic and James had a falling out. Using this as a springboard, I imagined he then started his own investigative group, The Eidola Project (eidola being a Greek word for ghost). Some real investigations, including those that are downright spooky, are woven into the story, especially while he is building his team of paranormal researchers.

In addition to William James (age 42), the Eidola Project consists of Annabelle Douglas (age 28), one of the first graduates of The Harvard Annex (later known as Radcliff), Sarah Bradbury (age 18), an authentic medium, Edgar Gilpin (age 26), a brilliant African American physicist and graduate of Howard and Yale Universities, and Nigel Pickford (age 39), one of the youngest Confederate officers, who in the years following the Civil War is plagued by paranormal visions & has become a drunken derelict. Each contributes to the group, but each has his or her own peculiar baggage and set of weaknesses.

Professor James directs The Eidola Project from Harvard, sending them off on various missions, and occasionally joining them (akin to “Rupert Giles,” a character in the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The Eidola Project are intrepid explorers of the supernatural, but in doing so, they enter the darkness and become ensnared in a dangerous investigation of a haunted house, where they encounter all sorts of things that go bump—or worse!

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eidola-project-robert-herold/1133990920

Blurb:

It’s 1885 and a drunk and rage-filled Nigel Pickford breaks up a phony medium’s séance. A strange twist of fate soon finds him part of a team investigating the afterlife.

The Eidola Project is an intrepid group of explorers dedicated to bringing the light of science to that which has been feared, misunderstood, and often manipulated by charlatans. They are a psychology professor, his assistant, an African-American physicist, a sideshow medium, and now a derelict, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses.

Called to the brooding Hutchinson Estate to investigate rumored hauntings, they encounter deadly supernatural forces and a young woman driven to the brink of madness.

Will any of them survive?                                                                

Excerpt:

Sarah retrieved the lamp and twisted the peg. The outhouse door swung open on its own, and she gasped.

“Momma?” Sarah asked as she held out her lantern. No. A ruined version of Molly stood in the doorway.

Before her disappearance, people often commented on the sixteen-year-old’s beauty, but in the last twenty-eight days birds pecked out her pretty blue eyes, and maggots now swam in the sockets. Molly’s head hung to the left at an odd angle. Her skin looked mottled with patches of gray, blue, and black. A beetle crawled out of Molly’s half-opened mouth and darted back in.

Sarah’s heart leaped to her throat, and she jumped back. She lost her footing, fell onto the outhouse seat, and dropped the lantern to the floor. She bent to retrieve it; thankful the glass globe did not break. Sarah looked up and saw an empty doorway.

Impossible, she told herself. Must’ve dozed off, had a nightmare, and woke up when I dropped the lamp. Her heart still pounded in her chest, and Sarah took a deep breath to calm herself.

Holding the lamp before her once more, she crept out… 

Available at:

https://www.amazon.com/Eidola-Project-Novel-ebook/dp/B07YRB4F99/ref=sr_1_1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eidola-project-robert-herold/1133990920

Animated Book Trailer (17 seconds!): https://youtu.be/SZovJ-MZQ5Y         

About the Author:

The supernatural always had the allure of forbidden fruit, ever since Robert Herold’s mother refused to allow him, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in. (Well, not literally.)

As a child, fresh snow provided him the opportunity to walk out onto neighbors’ lawns halfway and then make paw prints with his fingers as far as he could stretch. He would retrace the paw and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned into a werewolf on their front lawn. (They were skeptical.)

He has pursued many interests over the years (among them being a history teacher and a musician), but the supernatural always called to him. You could say he was haunted. Finally, following the siren’s call, he wrote The Eidola Project, based on a germ of an idea he had as a teenager.

Ultimately, he hopes the book gives you the creeps, and he means that in the best way possible.

https://robertheroldauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RobertHeroldauthor/

https://twitter.com/RobertHerold666

 

10 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, Hobbies...Careers...Passions

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

July 11, 2018 · 7:39 am

Author Interview with Katherine Gilbert ~ New Release: Protecting the Dead

Please help me welcome Katherine Gilbert, with her new release, Protecting the Dead – Great title, right? I love the cover too, and it’s one of the choices in the Moonlight and Mystery Cover Contest. I’m sure Katherine would love your votes!

 

Good morning, Katherine. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I’ve been born and raised in South Carolina (unofficial state motto: “Our politicians embarrass us”). My real family and best friend is my sister, Armida. Our goal is to become strange, cackling old ladies in the corner of a tearoom together.

Where did you get the idea for Protecting the Dead?

There was, until recently, a real apartment complex in Decatur, GA  (where my novel is set) which my sister and I once visited on an apartment hunt. Unfortunately, everything there was just a little too creepy, including the apartment she was shown which didn’t quite feel empty. When she asked about the turnover of tenants, she was told, “Oh, our residents never leave.” This hit my gothic imagination with an audible buzzing sound and wouldn’t leave me alone, until it was written.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

Some of the places in the novel are based off of Atlanta urban legends, such as the club (now closed, I believe) which was said to be the home of vampires.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

I can’t talk about a story, while I’m writing it. If I do, I’ll talk it out of myself and won’t ever sit down to write.

What book have you read that you wish you had written?

Every book I love I know I couldn’t have written, but I do admire the talents of so many other authors. I wish I could throw off a laugh-till-it-hurts line like Terry Pratchett. I wish I could create a fascinating, unexpected twist like Agatha Christie. I wish I could convey an astonishing sense of time and place like Barbara Hambly–and so many, many others.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

I teach English at a SC community college. As to whether I like it, it depends on the students. Some are lovely, funny, fascinating people who I fervently hope succeed in all their dreams. Some have never mentally shown up to school once, so I’ve really only met their bodies. When there are many more of the latter group, it’s not a wonderful semester.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

When I go to a new city, I love to visit Victorian cemeteries, especially ones with very ornate mausoleums or stone angels, etc. One of the great joys of my life was getting to visit Highgate Cemetery in London, especially the older parts you need to have a guide to be allowed into. It’s beautiful, quiet, wooded, and the statues–ohh, the statues.

What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?

Spicy food! It seems to me that every commercial now is for some restaurant or fast food place which promises that your head will actively explode after tasting their burningly spicy food. I love flavor in food, especially subtle, delicate flavors and spices, but not having my taste buds actively burned out of my mouth.

Do you collect anything?

Quite a few things. Among them are magnets (from just about everywhere I visit) and weird little salt-and-pepper shakers. Among the stranger ones I have is a set of Hello Kitty vibrating shakers. That’s right–you pull the string, and they vibrate. The wonderful absurdity of it just makes me giggle.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

It’s so hard to choose! I can maybe cull it down to three: Terry Pratchett’s The Fifth Elephant (all of Discworld is wonderful, but add the gothic and I’m totally hooked), Connie Willis’ To Say Nothing of the Dog (The world-building! The romance! The references to 19th-century comic authors!), and Jean Ferris’ Much Ado About Grubstake (it’s just a wonderfully good-hearted, light-hearted YA novel set in a fictional old west town).

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Protecting the Dead?

I’d like them to take a few moments to smile and sigh and enjoy having lived in that world for awhile.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

It’s hard to choose, but I suppose it depends on the bad review. No book is to everyone’s taste, so I accept that there will be people I can’t please. I’d rather not have a review which seems to be purposely trying to cut out my soul, though. As for no reviews, that’s difficult, too, since I don’t know whether anyone is reading it–and others who might want to aren’t given any guidance on whether they’d like it. I guess my answer, then, is . . . I haven’t a clue?

What is your favorite quote?

My friend, Chris, always says, “When someone thinks they’re doing you wrong, they’re actually doing you a favor.” It’s a philosophy I try to remember, when people aren’t very nice.

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Sorry, she’s not famous, but it’d have to be my sister. We’d never survive, but at least we’d be together.

What do you want your tombstone to say?

To quote from the movie, Auntie Mame: “Odd, but loving.”

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yes, I have three completed urban fantasies and one completed contemporary romance. I’m also actively working on a fourth urban fantasy novel. All the fantasies take place in different parts of the same alternate universe, and they generally fall into two categories: the magical and the gothic. Protecting the Dead is also one of the gothic ones.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

Generally speaking, real people aren’t as interesting for me to write about as the ones I make up. I don’t think anyone would thrill to tales of a department meeting.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

My sister is my biggest supporter. I read her every chapter, as it’s written. My friends are sort of in shock that I’ve kept at it long and hard enough to be published, but they’re excited for me.

What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?

That would be the demon who wants to destroy Lydia.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

I walked about six feet behind David Carradine once. Weird Al Yankovic sweated on and sang to my sister at a concert (when she was sitting right beside me). They were fun moments, but, to quote Weird Al, I think they also qualify as pretty “Lame Claims to Fame.”

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Only that good and bad people come in all forms. The forms alone don’t tell you much about the person. The way that people interact with others does.

How much of the book is realistic?

It’s based on a real place, but overall it’s much more fantasy than urban.

How did your interest in writing originate?

I started writing fan fiction for a show I was obsessed with, La Femme Nikita. I wrote a LOT of it, and there were quite a few people who enjoyed it. After awhile, I started branching out into a couple of alternate universe pieces–and through that realized that I could actually create my own characters and plot. I also realized that I didn’t need to know everything about a story to write it. I just needed to get started, and the characters would show me where things were headed, as I went along.

Your favorite…

Song–“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls (I’m not a gigantic fan of theirs otherwise, but I LOVE that one song). A close second and third would be Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life” and Blue Oyster Cult’s “Veteran of the Psychic Wars.”

Place you’ve visited–Ireland, England, and Scotland, all of them beautiful with touches of the gothic throughout

Place you’d like to visit–Brookgreen Gardens, a figural sculpture garden in SC. I’ve been there dozens of times, but I always want to go back.

TV show from childhood—Lou Grant, or maybe Scooby Doo–I was an eclectic kid.

TV show from adulthood—La Femme Nikita, although there are plenty of others I like. I usually only come across a show on DVD long after it’s over nowadays.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Are there any urban legends or haunted houses in your area? Leave a comment and I’ll select a random commenter to receive a $5 gift card from Amazon.

 

 

Blurb:

After a childhood filled with demons and her devil-worshiping parents, Lydia longs for a quiet, normal life, a safe haven somewhere blissfully dull. Being the manager at the Roanoke Apartments seems to fit that bill. But Lydia soon learns that you can’t leave the past behind so easily. She finds herself faced with unclogging drains for werewolves, conducting nightly vampire counseling sessions, and caring for two talkative cats. Then there’s the distraction of Geoffrey, the hottest, and most angelic, boss anyone ever dreamed of.  As if that isn’t enough, the demon who nearly killed her shows up to finish the job. So much for a peaceful, simple life…

 

Excerpt: 

She knew she was being rude, knew she certainly wasn’t being a good assistant to Geoffrey, but she couldn’t quite force herself to look up again. If she did, she was going to see things she couldn’t wholly deny. She couldn’t take that. Whatever its dangers, denial felt safe. There was only so much oddity her brain could withstand, before it just started to explode.

She found herself sitting on the couch a moment later, knew that all these men were watching her, knew that she was direly failing whatever test she was being given. But she just couldn’t help it. It was too much, was far too weird. If only life could be all picket fences and well-tended lawns and SUVs and…

Okay, so she really wasn’t dumb enough to think such details meant an utter lack of misery, but they just seemed so nice, compared to her life. She felt someone sit on the couch beside her, knew it was Geoffrey, even before he spoke.

“Give her a minute,” he whispered, tenderly stroking her blue hair.

That only made her sigh all the more. There were times she truly wished she could be a stereotypical vapid blonde.

That wish, of course, was part of the reason why she’d ended up with the hair color she was now stuck with, but she wasn’t up to such analysis.

One of the residents sighed softly. “I guess we are a bit much for a first day. Especially with our moon phase coming up and all.”

She wished she lived the sort of life which made it impossible to guess what they were talking about.

Geoffrey’s soft touch made her raise her head again, her eyes a little misty, as she gazed at the two werewolves’ worried yellow eyes. Their normal clothing only made the situation weirder. The one who had greeted them, Hugh, dressed much like her boss tended to. The second one was even wearing a business suit. She was trying not to scream.

Fortunately, Geoffrey surprised her out of the impulse, pulling her close, his arms tender, mouth by her ear. Into it, he whispered a series of soft, soothing sounds. Like at her lunch with Glory, none of them were quite recognizable, except for her name. “Lydia,” he would breathe, before those only half-hidden words began again. “Lydia.” It made her real name so darn tempting that she couldn’t quite remember why she’d ever chosen another, and it finally made her sanity begin to piece itself slowly back together.

She wasn’t certain how long they were like that, knew nothing except his touch, his comfort. Some final spate of words settled inside her as a sort of hope for the future, a thought — even if she had no conscious access to it — that comforted her even more. She felt his soft kiss there, before he finally leaned back. She didn’t really know what to think, after that.

 

Buy Links: 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/protecting-the-dead-katherine-gilbert/1128969519?ean=2940162107453

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Katherine_Gilbert_Protecting_the_Dead?id=lFhgDwAAQBAJ

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/protecting-the-dead

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/842470

Bio:

Katherine Gilbert was born at house number 1313 and then transplanted to a crumbling antebellum ruin so gothic that The Munsters would have run from it.  She has since gained several ridiculously-impractical degrees in English, Religious Studies, and Women’s Studies. She now teaches at a South Carolina community college, where all her students think, correctly, that she is very, very strange, indeed.

Where to Find Me:

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Katherine-Gilbert-Author-102573417043950/

Goodreads pages:

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40583130-protecting-the-dead?from_search=true

Author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18141907.Katherine_Gilbert

Bookbub:

Book: https://www.bookbub.com/books/protecting-the-dead-by-katherine-gilbert

Author: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katherine-gilbert?list=author_books

Amazon Author’s page:

amazon.com/author/katherinegilbert

20 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 10, 2018 · 8:12 am

Spirits of the Heart by Claire Gem

Please help me welcome Claire Gem with a spooky sounding Romantic Suspense…

Tortured spirits haunt Talcott Hall, an abandoned mental asylum. Can Laura & Miller free them without risking their love – or lives – in the process?

Excerpt:

“Hey. Little girl. Let me help you,” Miller tried again, and the child finally lowered her hands. She was younger than he’d first thought—ten, maybe. Tears streaked her reddened cheeks, glistening in the beam of his headlights. Her pale, golden hair was baby fine and wispy, but tousled and disheveled. As though it hadn’t seen a brush in good long time.

She met his gaze with eyes like the man’s, clear and blue and strangely luminescent. The sadness Miller saw behind them made his chest ache.

“Where did your friend go, sweetheart? The man who came out with you. Where did he go?”

She stared at him with lips quivering before her face crumpled again. “I don’t know. I don’t know where Daddy is. I’ve been looking and looking for him. Every time I think I’ve found him, he goes away.”

Miller swallowed. Yeah, that’s one way to describe the mysterious vanishing act.

He drew in a breath and tried again. “What’s your name, sweetie? Was that your daddy with you?”

Head bobbing, the tears flowed freely now, and she wouldn’t take her eyes off Miller’s face. He felt a lump growing in his own throat, as though she was somehow transferring her pain to him. His hands, clasped in front of him, began to shake.

When she spoke again, her voice took on an echoed quality, as though she were receding into an empty culvert. “I’m Greta. And I’m looking for my daddy. He used to live here. But I keep coming back to find him, and nobody knows where he is.” She dropped her chin to her chest and ground her knuckles against her eyes.

“Greta,” he repeated, a stab of pity piercing his gut. So freaking pathetic. A forlorn little girl . . .his own memories rose up like foul-smelling steam. Swallowing hard, he pressed on. “Greta, honey, what’s your last name?”

When she looked up, Miller gasped. Behind her, against the fence, a bright red McDonald’s French fry box clung to the base of the chain link. Directly behind her, yet he could see it clearly. That’s when he realized he could see .  . .right . . .through her.

 

Claim your free first chapter here by signing up for Claire’s Author-Reader group.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/ep56jprme8

 

Claire Gem Bio:

 Strong Women, Starting Over

   ~Redefining Romance~

Claire is a multi-published, award winning author of five titles in the genres of contemporary romance, supernatural suspense, and women’s fiction. She also writes Author Resource guide books, and presents seminars on writing craft and marketing.

Her supernatural suspense, Hearts Unloched, won the 2016 New York Book Festival. Her women’s fiction, The Phoenix Syndrome, was a finalist in the National Reader’s Choice Awards, and her contemporary romance, A Taming Season, was a Literary Award of Merit finalist in the HOLT Medallion Awards. Spirits of the Heart was a finalist in the 2017 “I Heart Indie Awards.”

Creating cross-genre fiction she calls “supernatural suspense,” Claire loves exploring the paranormal and the unexplained, and holds a certificate in Parapsychology from the Rhine Research Center of Duke University.

A New York native, Claire has lived in five of the United States and held a variety of jobs, from waitress to bridal designer to research technician—but loves being an author best. She and her happily-ever-after hero, her husband of 39 years, now live in central Massachusetts.

Media Links 

Website:                      http://www.clairegem.com

Blogs:                          http://www.clairegem.wordpress.com

                                    http://www.hauntedpathways.wordpress.com

Facebook:                    http://www.facebook.com/clairegem.author

Twitter:                       http://www.twitter.com/gemwriter

Goodreads:                  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8284235.Claire_Gem

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2nabvbm

Youtube Channel:        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO-vB7WDZhEQ8U4YpC937ng

 

Spirits of the Heart

 

Createspace:               https://www.createspace.com/6899776

Amazon:                      https://www.amazon.com/Spirits-Heart-Haunted-Voices-Book-ebook/dp/B01N7VIZU2/

Amazon Bitly:              http://amzn.to/2sjTCKx

Youtube:                      https://youtu.be/YUa2RALSEm8

Youtube Bitly:              http://bit.ly/1QreCAY                        

 

4 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , ,

March 25, 2017 · 8:27 am

Author Interview with Lisa DeVore ~ New Release: Sebastian’s Castle

I am very pleased to introduce today’s guest. Lisa DeVore is one of my Wild Rose Press authors. I had the pleasure of working with her on her debut novel, and on a handful of stories since. She’s a sweetheart of a person and a wonderful author. I love her and her stories. 🙂 Her latest is an excellent ghost story/romance. She’s here to tell us all about it, after her interview:

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

My name is Lisa DeVore. I was born and raised in Alliance, Ohio (about 20 miles NE of Canton, Ohio…home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame). I have been married to my best friend for nearly twenty-three years. Our oldest son, Lewie, is twenty-one, and works with his dad doing custom restoration on old hot rods and motorcycles. Our son, Cole, is eighteen and will be graduating in June, and off to college to study computer technology. And our “baby” girl, Jessica, will turn sixteen on my 50th birthday March 27th. She’s all about driving right now. We have three four-legged kids, Smitty & Wess, who are toy fox terriers (and brothers from the same litter) and my mini-pin, Chester.

Where did you get the idea for “Sebastian’s Castle”?

My hometown, Alliance, has its very own castle…Glamorgan Castle. The mansion was built from 1904-1909 and is now home to the Alliance City Schools’ administration. As a student and resident of Alliance, I’ve grown up around the castle, and have shared its beauty and history with my kids. It inspired the castle in my book, from the layout to the breathtaking chandelier. However, I don’t believe Glamorgan Castle has any secret passages. Who knows though? The ghost came naturally…what castle doesn’t have a ghost? Sebastian’s last name was, also, borrowed from William Henry Morgan, owner of the Alliance castle.
For more information on Glamorgan Castle- http://www.alliancecityschools.org/glamorgan-castle-history

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?

This is my first “ghost” story, but the suspense genre is not new to me. I have to say, it was fun to write!

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I have toured and visited Glamorgan Castle many, many times since I was a child, and know its history as well as my own, but prior to writing “Sebastian’s Castle” I took two tours. I wanted to feel the rooms, and the history. I wanted to see it as my characters, Brynn and Jax might see it, and imagine them there. Having that template for Brynn’s Mystic, CT castle made it come alive for me, and, I hope, my readers.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? 

The most difficult thing about writing a book, for me, is time. I haven’t, as yet, experienced writer’s block. My writing takes me on dips and curves that I don’t even see coming. I have really given up on outlines, because my stories always take turns along the way, and I never keep to one. And, I may start off with a hero and he ends up the villain. I just never know!

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

Music. It inspires me. For each book, I have a theme song I listen to.

What book have you read that you wish you had written?

“Gone With the Wind.”

(Me too!!) Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

My day job is accounting for an electrical distributor. I work part time, and I do like it. My degree is in accounting, so it’s good to be able to use that knowledge. And I work with some great people.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Absolutely, without question, social media.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

My favorite book of all time is the Bible. It inspires, calms, and gives hope. It has stood the test of time, and there is always something new to learn from Its pages. My favorite childhood book is “Green Eggs and Ham”. I loved that book! I read it so many times as a child, and to my kids, that I knew it by heart!

If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please 🙂

It would be Sebastian Morgan from “Sebastian’s Castle”. How cool would it be to spend a day with a ghost? I am a geek when it comes to history, and I would spend the day annoying him with questions about his life, and what it was like to live in his time.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Last May, I met my favorite singer, Scott Stapp (the front man of Creed, Art of Anarchy). His life experiences are in his music, and have inspired many. He has been criticized, and persecuted in the media, but he stays true to his style of writing, and gives God the glory. He is truly a kind man who loves God, his family, and fans. It was a pleasure meeting him…and he gives an amazing concert!

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Nora Roberts. I don’t believe there’s one book she’s written whose characters didn’t come alive to me. Her stories have so much depth. She is a master at putting her reader in the moment.

What is your favorite…

Movie– The Patriot
Music– Rock
Place you’ve visited- Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater, Florida
Place you’d like to visit- Salem, Mass.
TV show from childhood- The Brady Bunch
TV show from adulthood- Once Upon A Time
Food– Pizza
Sports team– Cleveland Indians!!
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Television

Love the interview, Lisa. I enjoyed learning more about you. Now, please tell us about Sebastian’s Castle…

Blurb:

Being married to a cop is hard, being the widow of one is harder. After Brynn Austin’s husband, Nate, was murdered in an undercover operation, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict the gang leader who killed him. Brynn refuses to let him kill their dream to renovate an old Connecticut castle. But her plan is hampered by a ghost who’s not ready to give up his home.

Contractor Jaxson Maddox signs on to renovate the old castle that’s sat empty for years. He didn’t believe the rumors about the place being haunted. But that was before he met the resident ghost. What Jax didn’t sign on for was trouble in the form of falling for the beautiful widow, dealing with a pesky ghost, and risking his life when a threat from Brynn’s past surfaces. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it means becoming a ghost himself.

Excerpt:

Light shone in through the windows, but the space wasn’t any less creepy. Old cobwebs hung from the rafters, and dust particles danced in the sunlight. She hoped there wasn’t a family of raccoons, or worse, living here. Brynn pushed those thoughts
from her mind and kneeled in front of the trunk with the screwdriver. She’d never tried to pick a lock before, but there was a first time for everything.

“If you’re set on nosing around, I would rather you used the key. It’s under that pile of books.”

Brynn jumped to her feet and swung around to face the voice. She gripped tightly to her only weapon, the screwdriver.

There he stood, the same man she saw the other day. “Who are you?” She backed toward the wall, holding the screwdriver in front of her. “You’re trespassing.”

“No, my dear, you’re trespassing. This is my castle. I should be asking you the questions.”

Brynn’s eyes bugged out as she really took a look at him. His image was fading in and out. “No,” she said aloud, “it can’t be.”

“My dear, you don’t look well.”

“You’re a…” She patted her face.

“A what? I’m a what?” His face faded and returned.

“You’re a ghost!”
Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Sebastians-Castle-Lisa-DeVore/dp/1509213325/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Bio:

Lisa DeVore is a romantic suspense author for The Wild Rose Press. Her active imagination started at an early age in her NE Ohio hometown, complete with its own castle. She’s an avid reader, loves the beach, dolphins, and sunshine! Yes, she’s a misplaced Floridian. Lisa stays busy utilizing her accounting degree, spending time with her husband of 20-plus years, their two sons and daughter, 2 toy fox terriers, and one mini-pin. And she enjoys spending time in the worlds she creates. Lisa made the Amazon best-seller list for her debut novel “Beautiful Music”, and is excited to announce the release of her fourth book, “Sebastian’s Castle”.
Contact Links:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lisadevoreAuthor/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/mrsldevore

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Lisa+DeVore

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Lisa-DeVore/e/B00KMHIWRY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1490133627&sr=8-1

 

12 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 17, 2015 · 7:21 pm

Mysteries of the Macabre Halloween Anthology – 6 Authors Share Fun Facts & Favorite Lines

I’m happy to introduce my fellow anthology authors. I’ve enjoyed getting to know these ladies (although I already knew Leah), and I had a blast working with them on this collection. Sit back and enjoy as they share a fun fact and some of their favorite lines from their stories…

6 unique stories by 6 authors…

 

Halloween_cover_lowres

Available here: (Click on the ink to be taken to the buy pages)

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

And now, the stories… (In order of how they appear in the anthology)

SCARRED ~ Alicia Dean

Scarred

Blurb:

Sometimes, the most haunting scars are the ones beneath the skin.

When Natalie Jayne moved away from her home town ten years earlier, she left behind painful memories, along with Simon, the man she loved. Now, she’s back on Halloween night to attend a memorial marking the one-year anniversary of the tragic passing of her childhood friend, Jessica. Rumors that Simon was responsible for Jessica’s death unnerve her. Even more disturbing is her unsettling attraction to a masked stranger she meets at the event. Her gift may be the key to unlocking the truth, but will it also lead to heartbreak?

Fun fact:

‘Scarred’ was first written as part of a blog post where each member of my OKRWA writing group contributed a scene to create a story. One of the characters in the story was Cupid’s ghost. My hero, Simon’s, original transgression was that he had murdered Cupid in a blind rage. And that was how she became a ghost. 🙂 In the course of the story, he atoned for his sin.

Favorite Lines:

As the lies fell from his lips, Simon’s chest felt as though it would cave in under the weight of Natalie’s pain. She looked so stricken, so disappointed. He steeled his resolve. Better to disappoint her now than to destroy her later.

What I’m working on now:

A Christmas romantic suspense as part of the Criminal Christmas Anthology (I must really like anthologies…)

 

GRANDMA’S WAY ~ Elvy Howard

Elvy

Blurb

Generations of greed culminate in a young girl.

Fifteen-year-old Caroline only wants to go to the Halloween Dance, and only one person stands in her way, Momma, who forces her to sort and pack her dead grandmother’s belongings instead.  Discovering a shocking secret of Grandma’s brings Caroline new hope, or will salvation lead to her downfall?

Fun Fact:

Caroline’s story began as a flash-fiction exercise where an item was presented as a prompt. I worked like the devil to get an entire story in under a thousand

words, but accomplished the feat and enjoyed trying something new. Fleshing out those five-hundred words into a short story was great fun. There was so much to learn about Caroline, Momma, and poor, dead, Grandma.

Favorite lines:

“I think the reason I can’t focus on geometry is because I’m still so sad.”

“Get off your soapbox, Caroline. It’s not going to work.”

Caroline figured she’d probably played out the dead Grandma card, and wished she hadn’t.

What I’m working on now:

My latest novel is about a newly-wed teenager posing as an adult in 1953, traveling with her husband from where he had been an Air Force instructor in Mesa, Arizona, to Lexington, Virginia, his home town.  It’s my first attempt writing something not based in what I call the nebulous now, and I’m enjoying it.  I’ve located some people even older than me, who were teenagers in the early fifties. They have been a wonderful resource for all sorts of background information.

Contact

Blog – ElvyHoward.com

Email – contact@elvyhoward.com

 

BLOOD MOON ~ Leah St. James

leah 52575064769460_5751649846271129825_n

Blurb

Is Ronnie’s imagination playing tricks on her, or has the Harvest Moon Slasher been reborn?

One Halloween night, a killer terrorized a strip of Virginia beachfront, murdering a dozen young women whose only crime was walking the beach with a boyfriend. Now, fifty years later, book reviewer Ronnie can’t shake the feeling that another has come to take his place.

Is it nothing more than her vivid imagination running wild, or are the spirits stirring, warning of approaching danger?

Fun Fact:

I’ve always been fascinated with full moons, maybe since watching old werewolf movies as a kid. The “blood moon,” caused by a total eclipse of the moon, is also the subject of a prophecy that its occurrence is the sign of the end times. I’d love to explore that in a story some day.

http://www.endtime.com/four-blood-moons/?gclid=CIzZ25fYpsgCFQFsfgoddSIKuw

Favorite lines:

“On the beach, two lovers kissed. Behind them, the moon—hanging giant and hazy red in the sky—dripped feathery tendrils into the sea, painting crimson tips on the dancing waves.”

What are you currently working on?

Currently I’m finishing up the sequel to my first novel (“Surrender to Sanctuary”). It’s called “Sanctuary’s Promise,” and it picks up the story of FBI agents David Owens and Anna Parker who (in book one) went undercover in a secret society to solve a murder. They’re back in hot water, only this time it’s even closer to home.

Contact:
Website:  LeahStJames.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LeahStJames?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeahStJames

 

THREE, AFTER MIDNIGHT ~ Alexa Day

alexa 6_1148060941887539_1800011562928825531_n

Blurb:

Deirdre lost her husband, Cameron, one long-ago Halloween night, but every Halloween night brings the chance to get him back. She just needs to find a man willing to … get between them. Trip seems like a perfect choice. With his hard body and open mind, surely he won’t mind letting Cam borrow him for a night. If he’s into it, they’re in for one mind-blowing reunion. But if he resists, will Cam’s spirit be strong enough to protect her from the man she chose for him?

Fun Fact:

Readers have asked Alexa about the relationship between Cam and Deidre–wondering if there’s a future for the two lovers. The first time she got the question she smiled to herself and thought, Deidre already has a pretty sweet deal!

Leah chose her favorite line from Alexa’s story:

He’d loved her like a stranger who hoped to see her again, or at least one who hoped to be remembered fondly in girls’ night gossip.

What are you currently working on?

Sci-fi erotica.

 

THE TIMESHARE TRIP ~ Renci Denham

renci 2_1156416701051963_5731675672072814014_n

Blurb:

How many of the Seven Deadly Sins can Crystal and Roy commit in one seven-day cruise?

Crystal and Roy never thought they could afford an all-inclusive seven-day trip to the tropics. After all, canned chili dinners and a wine cooler at the quick mart were the highlights of life in the trailer park. So what if the trip Crystal won required a time share presentation? It’s not like their credit would pass anyway. But is the resort everything the web page on the computer said it would be?

Fun Fact:

This was 10 years of HARD work!!!!!

Favorite lines:

“Well, that’s five bucks too much. I could have made you one out of duct tape.”

“Oh, it’s a surprise, too. I’m telling you though, it will make every woman there want to jump my bones.”

”Costa  Rico. That’s part of Mexico, right?

What are you currently working on?

“The Crown of Nebuchadnezzar” and my dissertation

Contact:

Find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/renci.denham?fref=ts

 

THE FARM STRAY ~ Rohn Federbush

FarmStrayMeme

Blurb:

The discovery of an abandoned farm in the Michigan countryside triggers a vision of the farmer’s past—or is it more?

A young couple exploring the Michigan countryside stumble upon an abandoned farm. Drawn by its forlorn appearance, they explore. Eventually they’re chased away by the irate farmer, but not before the wife becomes intrigued by a weird kitchen latch at the back door, an elephant-headed rocking horse, and a rusting iron ring the size of her palm.

Back home, she’s pulled into memories she shouldn’t have. Did the farm’s spirits lure her into theirs, or did the old farm merely trigger her own?

Fun Fact:

My husband loves being part of the real story.

Favorite lines:

(I believe) The……… earth-bound soul used by eyes to capture relevant photographs of her home.

What are you currently working on?

The contrasting future of young people in small towns or big cities is explored in my newest Novella “Hastings Dead.”

Contact:

Website:  http://www.rohnfederbush.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RohnFederbush

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohnfederbush
 

19 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 31, 2014 · 9:46 am

TWRP New Release Spotlight – PLUS Fun Facts and Favorite Lines…

I’m happy to share a few brand new releases from The Wild Rose Press: A Paranormal New Adult (LOVE the cover!!!) and a romantic suspense…right up my alley. 🙂

Check out these exciting stories and be sure to follow the authors.

 

Christy Effinger with Say Nothing of What You See, a Paranormal New Adult Novel  

What haunt us most are the ghosts of our own creation. 

Fun fact: 

As a Midwesterner,  I have long been fascinated by grain elevators. I once lived down the street from one when I was a broke college student. Say Nothing of What You See began with the mental image of a woman standing at the edge of a huge silo. I wrote the novel at night while my husband was taking MBA classes.  

A few favorite lines: 

I remembered the way she fell. The way she fell without a sound.

Like a pirate’s prisoner walking the plank. Like a bird too young to fly. Like a wounded moth, a dead star, a torn kite.

perf5.000x8.000.indd

ON SALE!!!!! ONLY $3.00

50% off through Wild Rose Press site (you can download it easily to your reading device)

Available here:

TWRP: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_177_139&products_id=5772

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MW5HTZ0/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Find Christy here: 

Website: http://christyeffinger.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/christyeffinger

Tumblr: http://christyeffinger.tumblr.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christyeffinger

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/christyeffinger

Google+: http://google.com/+christyeffinger

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/christyeffinger

 

*************************************************************

Maggie Toussaint with Rough Waters, a Romantic Suspense Novel 

A treasure hunt turns deadly

Fun Fact: 

I was inspired to write about a florist because once upon a time my mother owned a flower shop. I spent many an afternoon playing in the shop, building forts with blocks of foam, and watching mom work magic with a bouquet of flowers. 

Writing about shipwrecked treasure came about due to my close proximity to Blackbeard Island. Rumors still circulate about Blackbeard’s treasure being buried in coastal Georgia. But my science training taught me that islands shift positions through time due to actions of wind and water. It seemed logical to me that an unmarked shipwreck of the 1800s might be in a different place. And if someone found a hand-drawn treasure map, he would think he really had something. 

Rock’s survived war, his mother’s terminal illness, and a boat explosion. Jeanie’s been abandoned as a wife and mom and reinvented herself as a florist. In Rough Waters, a florist and a former SEAL join forces to reach their goals. He wants his stolen treasure returned, or he will lose everything he’s worked for. She wants to catch the creep who broke into her home and business so she can bring her kids home. Rough Waters…

A few favorite lines: 

She didn’t need to be worried about her kids right now.

He’d worry enough for the both of them.

RoughWaters_w8335_750

ON SALE!!!!! ONLY $2.50
50% off through Wild Rose Press site (you can download it easily to your reading device)

Available here:

TWRP: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_245_137&products_id=5771

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MW553CQ/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

 

Find Maggie here:

http://www.maggietoussaint.com

http://www.twitter.com/MaggieToussaint

http://www.facebook.com/MaggieToussaintAuthor

http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com

http://www.pinterest.com/maggietoussaint

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1276258.Maggie_Toussaint

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/maggie-toussaint/30/1a5/572/

3 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, For Writers

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,