K.L. Hallam's Blog, page 18
October 31, 2015
The Final Day of The 2015 Crossroads Blog Tour.
We've come to the End of the Road . . . and Today is HALLOWEEN!
If you've been following the tour, you know there are TREATS in store for you. Sign up on the Rafflecopter, all the way at the bottom of my page. Participating Blogs and information can be found here. Read on to learn more about some spooky paranormal reads! For all that late night, under your covers, reading!
Christine Fonseca
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead? I walk ahead. Yeah, I’m the one who always has to check it out. But first I would stop and see if the noises continue. #IsThisWise
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a witches hat, cape, and makeup – for when I need a costume in a hurry. No need to go into why I have these things ;) #HalloweenFun
Critically acclaimed and award-winning YA and nonfiction author. Lover of books, lattes, and family. Passionate about humanity. Believer in dreams.
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***FINALIST IN 2015 KINDLE BOOK AWARDS***
The most dangerous secrets are the ones that kill.
When a surprising mental breakdown draws too much attention from a secret government group call the Order, 17-year-old Dakota discovers that her so-called boring life isn’t so boring after all. Between the lies, secrets and assassins out to kill her family, Dakota discovers there’s more to paranormal activity than ghosts and cheap mind tricks. Now she must uncover the truth before a new breed of terrorism takes everything away – including her life.
Amazon Barnes &Noble Kobo
Janet Fox Janet Fox's published works include the non-fiction middle-grade self-help book GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT (Free Spirit Publishing) and three young adult historical novels: FAITHFUL, FORGIVEN, and SIRENS (all Speak/Penguin). Her debut middle-grade novel THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE is due out March 15, 2016 from Viking. Janet is a 2010 MFA graduate from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she's represented by Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. She lives in Bozeman, Montana, where she and her husband are ruled by an energetic Lab, but you can also find her at www.janetsfox.com, connect with her on Twitter at @janetsfox, and follow her on Facebook at AuthorJanetFox
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
Are you kidding me??? The first anti-rule of terror is DON'T GO THERE. If my friend is crazy enough to go on, well. But me? I'm turning around. And running. I admit it, I'm a wimp. Of course, you wouldn't find me in that dark alley in the first place.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
Long velvet skirt, corset top. I'm already planning to wear that outfit this Halloween at a costume party. It's super comfortable and doesn't look too, too weird. In fact, it's kind of steampunk cool. Hence, it's still in my closet.
THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE is a middle-grade novel set in a spooky Scottish castle during WWII. The lady of the manor has set it up as a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz. But something is not right with that castle or that lady, and the children begin disappearing one by one. There are clues that a spy is in the house; there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. Ghostly hauntings, enigma machines, creepy noises, and peculiar teachers all hint at a complicated mystery. It’s a race against the clock for one girl, her two younger siblings, and her new best friend to get to the bottom of things.
Amazon Country Bookshelf (my local indie) Barnes & Noble
And last, but certainly not least... Author, Kelly Hashway
Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly’s also a sucker for first love, which is why she writes YA and NA romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
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1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead? Secret option C—run in the opposite direction!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet? A witch. I’ve been a witch so many times. It’s fun and a little spooky at the same time.
The Monster Within
The moment seventeen-year-old Samantha Thompson crawls out of her grave, her second chance at life begins. She died of cancer with her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, by her side—a completely unfair shot at life. But Ethan found a way to bring her back like he promised he would. Only Sam came back wrong.She's now a monster that drains others' lives to survive. And after she kills, she’s tortured by visions—glimpses into her victims would-have-been futures had she not killed them. Barely able to live with herself and trying to make things right, Sam ends up a pawn in a vicious game of payback within the local coven of witches. But when the game reveals what Ethan had to do to save Sam, she must make a choice that will change all their lives forever.
Buy links: Amazon Barnes & Noble
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you've been following the tour, you know there are TREATS in store for you. Sign up on the Rafflecopter, all the way at the bottom of my page. Participating Blogs and information can be found here. Read on to learn more about some spooky paranormal reads! For all that late night, under your covers, reading!
Christine Fonseca
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead? I walk ahead. Yeah, I’m the one who always has to check it out. But first I would stop and see if the noises continue. #IsThisWise
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a witches hat, cape, and makeup – for when I need a costume in a hurry. No need to go into why I have these things ;) #HalloweenFun
Critically acclaimed and award-winning YA and nonfiction author. Lover of books, lattes, and family. Passionate about humanity. Believer in dreams.
Facebook Twitter Google Goodreads
***FINALIST IN 2015 KINDLE BOOK AWARDS***
The most dangerous secrets are the ones that kill.
When a surprising mental breakdown draws too much attention from a secret government group call the Order, 17-year-old Dakota discovers that her so-called boring life isn’t so boring after all. Between the lies, secrets and assassins out to kill her family, Dakota discovers there’s more to paranormal activity than ghosts and cheap mind tricks. Now she must uncover the truth before a new breed of terrorism takes everything away – including her life.
Amazon Barnes &Noble Kobo
Janet Fox Janet Fox's published works include the non-fiction middle-grade self-help book GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT (Free Spirit Publishing) and three young adult historical novels: FAITHFUL, FORGIVEN, and SIRENS (all Speak/Penguin). Her debut middle-grade novel THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE is due out March 15, 2016 from Viking. Janet is a 2010 MFA graduate from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she's represented by Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. She lives in Bozeman, Montana, where she and her husband are ruled by an energetic Lab, but you can also find her at www.janetsfox.com, connect with her on Twitter at @janetsfox, and follow her on Facebook at AuthorJanetFox1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
Are you kidding me??? The first anti-rule of terror is DON'T GO THERE. If my friend is crazy enough to go on, well. But me? I'm turning around. And running. I admit it, I'm a wimp. Of course, you wouldn't find me in that dark alley in the first place.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
Long velvet skirt, corset top. I'm already planning to wear that outfit this Halloween at a costume party. It's super comfortable and doesn't look too, too weird. In fact, it's kind of steampunk cool. Hence, it's still in my closet.
THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE is a middle-grade novel set in a spooky Scottish castle during WWII. The lady of the manor has set it up as a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz. But something is not right with that castle or that lady, and the children begin disappearing one by one. There are clues that a spy is in the house; there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. Ghostly hauntings, enigma machines, creepy noises, and peculiar teachers all hint at a complicated mystery. It’s a race against the clock for one girl, her two younger siblings, and her new best friend to get to the bottom of things.
Amazon Country Bookshelf (my local indie) Barnes & Noble
And last, but certainly not least... Author, Kelly Hashway
Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly’s also a sucker for first love, which is why she writes YA and NA romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest YouTube Instagram Blog
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead? Secret option C—run in the opposite direction!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet? A witch. I’ve been a witch so many times. It’s fun and a little spooky at the same time.
The Monster Within
The moment seventeen-year-old Samantha Thompson crawls out of her grave, her second chance at life begins. She died of cancer with her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, by her side—a completely unfair shot at life. But Ethan found a way to bring her back like he promised he would. Only Sam came back wrong.She's now a monster that drains others' lives to survive. And after she kills, she’s tortured by visions—glimpses into her victims would-have-been futures had she not killed them. Barely able to live with herself and trying to make things right, Sam ends up a pawn in a vicious game of payback within the local coven of witches. But when the game reveals what Ethan had to do to save Sam, she must make a choice that will change all their lives forever.
Buy links: Amazon Barnes & Noble
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 30, 2015
Yes! The Crossroads Blog Tour is still happening . . .
Get your spooky on!
Check out the Tour Info and learn how you can win prizes and a $50 Amazon gift card. The Tour features both young adult and middle-grade paranormal / horror / thriller tales.
Jessica Byliss
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
I check things out. I’m dumb that way. But if it’s my friend, Jack, I let him go first. He’s sure to have a weapon on hand.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
My old Can-Can costume from dancing school! Bright turquoise with hot pink, yellow, and purple accents. The classiest duds at the party.
Bio: Jessica Bayliss is an author of commercial fiction who loves nothing better than getting lost in a good story, whether in print or on film. When not busy with her latest fiction project, she can be found loving her friends and family—especially husband, Eric—playing with one pesky Havanese, or trying to appease an ornery cockatiel, typically with a cup of coffee near at hand. She has several stories out now, another on the way, and a novel in the works to be released later this year. Recent works: “Breathless,” a standalone romantic ghost story; “The Muse,” a short horror piece in Issue 31 of Sanitarium Magazine; “Alice in Wilderland,” a contemporary YA story in the Alice in Wonderland-inspired anthology, “Beware the Little White Rabbit”; and “The Ship,” a free piece of flash fiction in Theme of Absence Magazine. You can learn more about her at JessicaBaylissWrites.com.
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Beware the Little White Rabbit:
Thirteen powerful voices in young adult fiction invite you to journey into startling new Wonderlands in this nod to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s timeless character, ALICE.
Mystery. Madness. Mayhem. Each story in this collection will intrigue, bewitch, and enchant. Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, we present new tales of Alice and her white rabbit.
Whether an intrepid reporter, a would-be car thief, or the last human in a world ruled by machines, at the heart of each story Alice is a girl discovering who she really is in worlds that never fail to surprise.
What wonders await, oh curious reader? Leap down the rabbit hole and discover the truth…
Amazon
Patrice Lyle
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
Neither. I grab her by the arm and we hightail it out of there!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a really cool dead bride costume. It’s a gorgeous dress (my mother-in-law’s actually!) that I wear with a gray wig, gray face paint, and blood red lipstick.
Patrice Lyle has never met a ghost story she didn’t like. She’s been fascinated with the paranormal since childhood. She attributes this fascination to having heard old family stories of ghostly wreaths, ESP, and money hidden in the lining of antique purses. She grew up on the Oregon Coast and has a Master’s Degree in Writing Popular Fiction. Now she lives with her husband and three cats near Orlando, where she’s working on the next Poison Ivy novel and trolling the area for ghostly happenings.
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Author of the Health Nut Mysteries, the Poison Ivy Charm School Tween Mysteries, Lethally Blonde, and Glisten
Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the Tour Info and learn how you can win prizes and a $50 Amazon gift card. The Tour features both young adult and middle-grade paranormal / horror / thriller tales.
Jessica Byliss
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
I check things out. I’m dumb that way. But if it’s my friend, Jack, I let him go first. He’s sure to have a weapon on hand.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
My old Can-Can costume from dancing school! Bright turquoise with hot pink, yellow, and purple accents. The classiest duds at the party.
Bio: Jessica Bayliss is an author of commercial fiction who loves nothing better than getting lost in a good story, whether in print or on film. When not busy with her latest fiction project, she can be found loving her friends and family—especially husband, Eric—playing with one pesky Havanese, or trying to appease an ornery cockatiel, typically with a cup of coffee near at hand. She has several stories out now, another on the way, and a novel in the works to be released later this year. Recent works: “Breathless,” a standalone romantic ghost story; “The Muse,” a short horror piece in Issue 31 of Sanitarium Magazine; “Alice in Wilderland,” a contemporary YA story in the Alice in Wonderland-inspired anthology, “Beware the Little White Rabbit”; and “The Ship,” a free piece of flash fiction in Theme of Absence Magazine. You can learn more about her at JessicaBaylissWrites.com.
Twitter Facebook
Beware the Little White Rabbit:
Thirteen powerful voices in young adult fiction invite you to journey into startling new Wonderlands in this nod to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s timeless character, ALICE.
Mystery. Madness. Mayhem. Each story in this collection will intrigue, bewitch, and enchant. Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, we present new tales of Alice and her white rabbit.
Whether an intrepid reporter, a would-be car thief, or the last human in a world ruled by machines, at the heart of each story Alice is a girl discovering who she really is in worlds that never fail to surprise.
What wonders await, oh curious reader? Leap down the rabbit hole and discover the truth…
Amazon
Patrice Lyle
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
Neither. I grab her by the arm and we hightail it out of there!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a really cool dead bride costume. It’s a gorgeous dress (my mother-in-law’s actually!) that I wear with a gray wig, gray face paint, and blood red lipstick.
Patrice Lyle has never met a ghost story she didn’t like. She’s been fascinated with the paranormal since childhood. She attributes this fascination to having heard old family stories of ghostly wreaths, ESP, and money hidden in the lining of antique purses. She grew up on the Oregon Coast and has a Master’s Degree in Writing Popular Fiction. Now she lives with her husband and three cats near Orlando, where she’s working on the next Poison Ivy novel and trolling the area for ghostly happenings.
Facebook Twitter
Author of the Health Nut Mysteries, the Poison Ivy Charm School Tween Mysteries, Lethally Blonde, and Glisten
Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 29, 2015
Day Four has you Asking for More! The Crossroads Blog Tour Continued.
You bet! More Authors for you to read about and learn about their newest paranormal releases . . . sign up for prizes with the Rafflecopter at the bottom and see who else is hosting here.
Dorothy Dreyer
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
LOL, it depends on which friend I’m with. Some of my friends are fierce enough to scare any potential threat away.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
If I’m desperate, I’ve always got a witch’s hat handy. A bit of witchy makeup and black clothes, and I’m ready to go. Dorothy Dreyer has always believed in magic. Born in Angeles City, Philippines, to a Filipino mother and American Father, Dorothy grew up a military brat, living in Massachusetts, South Dakota, Guam, New Jersey, and New York. She now lives in Frankfurt, Germany, with her husband, two teens, and two Siberian huskies. Dorothy not only writes books with some element of magic in them, but has a fondness for reading those kinds of books as well. She also enjoys movies, chocolate, take-out, and spending time with family and friends.
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MY FRAYED ETERNITY (Reaper's Rite Book Three) - YA Dark Paranormal
Just when Zadie thought life was returning to normal, one of the most important people in her life turns up missing. When Zadie finds out this disappearance has something to do with Reapers, her worst fears are realized.
Not only have the Reapers returned, but a plan to up the stakes and bring the Reaper’s Rite to the next level is discovered. Using their Vila powers, Zadie and her sister Mara must set out to rescue their friend and do what they can to put an end to the pact between witches, faeries, and Reapers, before all is lost for eternity.
Amazon
Tina Ferraro
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
I believe in safety in numbers, so my friend and I would join hands and investigate together!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I like to think my bridal dress is my back-up Halloween costume, but I’m not sure it still fits!
Tina Ferraro is the author of several young adult novels and novellas, as well as upwards of a hundred romantic short stories for teens and adults.
A two-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America's RITA award and the National Reader's Choice award for her young adult novels, her interests include Facebook Scrabble, the color orange, and chasing coyotes out of her neighborhood.
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Half a life is not worth living. Probably not a good idea to take advice from your dead twin sister.
Half-Life
High school sophomore Trisha Traynor and friends have played the Halloween mirror game for years, the one that’s supposed to show a glimpse of the guy they’ll marry. But no one’s ever seen anything.
Until tonight—when Trisha is gob smacked by the candlelit arrival of her long-deceased twin sister, instead of her crush, Kirk Maxwell.
In a voice and vision that only Trisha can hear and see, Chessie claims to be back on a compassionate journey. Trisha fears she's gone nuthouse crazy. But she nonetheless follows the instructions Chessie outlines in their nightly conversations, until she finds herself stepping across some ethical lines, and probably ending all chances with Kirk.
When a sisterly showdown ensues, resulting in the shattering of the mirror, Chessie’s gone again, and a heartsick Trisha sets about righting her recent wrongs. That is, until she stumbles upon the real reason Chessie had come back and the most important glimpse yet that the mirror could never predict.
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a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 28, 2015
Day 3 of The Crossroads Blog Tour !
Today I feature two more paranormal authors: Elizabeth Holloway and Jennifer Murgia for the Blog Tour. Make sure you sign up on the Rafflecopter below for lots of goodies!
Elizabeth Holloway
Author of the Call Me Grim Series
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
I wouldn’t particularly want to, but I’d probably be the one to walk ahead and check things out. I’m crazy like that.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a 20’s Flapper costume in my closet. It’s probably too small for me nowadays, but it used to be my go-to costume for surprise Halloween parties.
Author Bio:
Elizabeth Holloway is an author of young adult fiction living in Southern Pennsylvania with her two teen children and their growing number of pets.
In addition to writing, she is a registered nurse, an avid reader, an out-of-practice artist, a karaoke singer, and a music lover. She is still trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up.
Her first novel, CALL ME GRIM, is available NOW. The sequel, DEATH BECOMES ME, will release in Fall 2015. She is represented by Lindsay Ribar of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
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Call Me GrimThe truck should have turned Libbi Piper into a Libbi Pancake—and it would have, too, if Aaron hadn't shown up and saved her life. The problem? Aaron's the local Grim Reaper . . . and he only saved Libbi's life because he needs someone to take over his job. Now, Libbi has two days to choose between dying like she was supposed to, or living a lonely life as Death Incarnate. Talk about a rock and a hard place. And the choice goes from hard to sucktastic when her best friend shows up marked: condemned as a future murderer. Libbi could have an extra week to stop the murder and fix the mark . . . but only if she accepts Aaron's job as Reaper, trapping herself in her crappy town forever, invisible and inaudible to everyone except the newly dead. But, if she refuses? Her best friend is headed straight for Hell.
Amazon B&N Audible GoodreadsDEATH BECOMES ME November 2015 release!
Author, Jennifer Murgia!
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead? Oh, send the friend!! If she gets eaten I’ll know to run the other way!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet? I don’t dress up so … does frizzy hair count? It’s kinda scary!
Bio: Jennifer Murgia writes moody fiction for teens—from paranormal fantasy (ANGEL STAR, LEMNISCATE, THE BLISS), to contemporary gut-punchers (BETWEEN THESE LINES). Her latest, FOREST OF WHISPERS, a 17th century historical mystery (about witches!) was a School Library Journal Fall 2014 HOT TITLE, and a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Literature Award Winner (Bronze Medal for YA Horror/Mystery). The sequel, CASTLE OF SIGHS, releases October 27, 2015 from Spencer Hill Press. She is the co-founder and coordinator of YA FEST and currently resides in Pennsylvania.
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CASTLE OF SIGHS (Sequel to FOREST OF WHISPERS) Digital Release Date: October 27, 2015
Young Adult Fiction - Historical FantasyPublisher: Spencer Hill Press
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Book Summary:Some secrets cannot be kept--in life or in death.
Months have passed since Rune has heard a single whisper from her long-dead mother, the great witch of Bavaria. But the absence of one evil has only made room for another. After rightfully inheriting her ancestral home, Pyrmont Castle, Rune settles into a quiet life taking care of two orphans left in the wake of the terrible witch hunt that claimed dozens of lives in the nearby village. As the days grow colder, the castle’s secrets beckon, and something darker seems to have been awakened, as well.
Rune finds herself roaming where no one has set foot in a long time. In the bowels of the fortress is a locked room full of memories that hang like cobwebs--shelves stacked with jars, strange specimens, putrid liquids, and scrolls of spells. Rune is undeniably drawn to what she finds there, and she begins to dabble in the possibilities of magic, hoping she will find a cure for the strangeness overwhelming the castle.
And the key may lie in the dark forest she once called home and the boy she thought she knew.ADVANCED PRAISE FOR CASTLE OF SIGHS:"A creepy, atmospheric ghost tale to be read with the lights on. Jennifer Murgia has done it again!" ~ Cyn Balog, author of FAIRY TALE and SLEEPLESS.
A castle filled with the ghosts of witches . . .A Book of Secrets that holds the key to a terrible past . . .A being made of Magick . . . In Castle of Sighs, the magnificent sequel to Forest of Whispers, author Jennifer Murgia leads us through a spooky, tangled web of mystery, mayhem, and magic both light and dark as we follow seventeenth century witch Rune in her exploration of the ancient Castle Pyrmont, the ancestral home that has shaped the extraordinary lives of the women in her family. Be prepared to sit up all night looking over your shoulder and jumping at every sound while this book, like its predecessor, casts its spell over you. Definitely a Must Read. ~ Molly Cochran, author of Legacy, Poison, and Seduction
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 27, 2015
Day 2 of the Crossroads Blog Tour...
Trick or Treat? More treats of course!
Heather L. Reid is on my blog answering some spooky questions and sharing her book with us! Follow the Crossroads Blog Tour links to hear from more paranormal authors about their books and win prizes!
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
Neither. We both turn and run away!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a light pink, short, dress that’s kind of 20’s inspired and a short blonde wig. Pair it with fake pearls, a headband, and some lace gloves, and you have an easy and cute Daisy from The Great Gatsby costume.
PRETTY DARK SACRIFICE (Pretty Dark #2) Blurb:
It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since Aaron vanished without a trace. Everyone wants her to move on, but Quinn can’t, not after his spirit—or something—appears to her at his memorial, convincing her he’s still alive. When a mysterious box materializes on the very spot where Aaron disappeared, Quinn finds herself at the center of an ancient prophecy of betrayal, revenge, and sacrifice that takes her to the depths of the underworld to face Lilith—Adam’s first wife. If Quinn can stop Lilith from unleashing the demon horde Eve trapped inside the box during the Battle of Eden millennia ago, she will save the human realm and free Aaron from an eternity in torment. All it will cost her is her own blood.Bio:
Heather L. Reid writes character driven YA urban fantasy, paranormal, and speculative fiction and is the author of the Pretty Dark series (Month9Books) She is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing whatever new tales of fantasy her imagination dreams up. Month 9 Books
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Pretty Dark Nothing (PrettyDark #1) Amazon
Pretty Dark Sacrifice Pretty (Dark #2) Amazon
Pretty Dark Nothing (PrettyDark #1) B&N
Pretty Dark Sacrifice (Pretty Dark #2) B&N
Indie Bound Pretty DarkNothing (Pretty Dark #1)
Rafflecopter Gift Card Giveaway Contest!a Rafflecopter giveaway
Heather L. Reid is on my blog answering some spooky questions and sharing her book with us! Follow the Crossroads Blog Tour links to hear from more paranormal authors about their books and win prizes!
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
Neither. We both turn and run away!
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I have a light pink, short, dress that’s kind of 20’s inspired and a short blonde wig. Pair it with fake pearls, a headband, and some lace gloves, and you have an easy and cute Daisy from The Great Gatsby costume.
PRETTY DARK SACRIFICE (Pretty Dark #2) Blurb:
It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since Aaron vanished without a trace. Everyone wants her to move on, but Quinn can’t, not after his spirit—or something—appears to her at his memorial, convincing her he’s still alive. When a mysterious box materializes on the very spot where Aaron disappeared, Quinn finds herself at the center of an ancient prophecy of betrayal, revenge, and sacrifice that takes her to the depths of the underworld to face Lilith—Adam’s first wife. If Quinn can stop Lilith from unleashing the demon horde Eve trapped inside the box during the Battle of Eden millennia ago, she will save the human realm and free Aaron from an eternity in torment. All it will cost her is her own blood.Bio:
Heather L. Reid writes character driven YA urban fantasy, paranormal, and speculative fiction and is the author of the Pretty Dark series (Month9Books) She is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing whatever new tales of fantasy her imagination dreams up. Month 9 Books
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Pretty Dark Nothing (PrettyDark #1) Amazon
Pretty Dark Sacrifice Pretty (Dark #2) Amazon
Pretty Dark Nothing (PrettyDark #1) B&N
Pretty Dark Sacrifice (Pretty Dark #2) B&N
Indie Bound Pretty DarkNothing (Pretty Dark #1)
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October 26, 2015
Here it is! The Crossroad Blog Tour
Crossroads Blog Tour
From small to big-gun presses, debut novels to bestsellers, we’re offering unprecedented (and free!) access to amazing YA authors. Thirteen paranormal writers will embark on an exciting blog tour that will hook readers up with great reads and cool SWAG.
Participating bloggers will feature two Crossroads authors each day from October 26 thru October 31. You can use the link above for more info. Lots of treats ahead! Don't forget to sign on the Rafflecopter for a $50 gift certificate!
May the tour begin! I bring you . . .
Sarah Bromley
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
I’m gonna send someone else, but I’ll make sure they’re armed well with salt, a wooden stake, and some silver bullets.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
I dress up as a witch every year when I go trick-or-treating with my kids.
Bio:Sarah Bromley drinks too much coffee, likes her music loud and off-key, and has loved spooky things since she first saw “An American Werewolf in London” when she was five years old. She currently lives in the St. Louis area with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-heroic-husband, three children, and her dogs.
Book blurb
Winter in Black Orchard, Wisconsin, is long and dark, and sixteen-year-old Vayda Silver prays the snow will keep the truth and secrecy of the last two years buried. Hiding from the past with her father and twin brother, Vayda knows the rules: never return to the town of her mother’s murder, and never work a Mind Game where someone might see.
No one can know the toll emotions take on Vayda, how emotion becomes energy in her hands, or how she can’t control the destruction she causes. But it's not long before her powers can no longer be contained. The truth is dangerously close to being exposed, placing Vayda and her family at risk.
Until someone quiets the chaos inside her.
Unwanted. That's all Ward Ravenscroft has ever been. To cope, he numbs the pain of rejection by denying himself emotions of any kind. Yet Vayda stirs something in him. He can't explain the hold she has on him--inspiring him with both hope and fear. He claims not to scare easily, except he doesn't know what her powers can do. Yet.
Just as Vayda and Ward draw closer, she finds the past isn't so easily buried. And when it follows the Silvers to Black Orchard, it has murder in mind.
"Richly written, A MURDER OF MAGPIES isn't a book to be read, but one to be devoured by the light of a dying fire. Sarah Bromley will pull readers in and have them glancing constantly over their shoulder, where the ghosts of the past await them."
- New York Times bestselling author Heather Brewer
"A MURDER O MAGPIES is one of those books I couldn't put down... a little bit mystery, a little bit horror, a little bit love story--there's something for everyone on these pages. Rich, well-written, and different in a genre desperate for something a little bit different..." -- Hillary Monahan, author of MARY: THE SUMMONING
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Judith Graves
1.) You and a friend are walking down a dark alley. You hear strange noises. Do you walk ahead and check things out, or send your friend instead?
If my friend is wearing a red shirt, and I think she is...I send her off to see what’s what. Don’t judge. Someone needs to be the one who lives to write about our great adventures.
2.) What's your Halloween costume back up, the one that's always waiting in your drawer or closet?
It’s so easy to throw together an evil librarian costume, and it’s fitting too, since I am one. Bwhaaaaaa.... All you need are glasses, some baby powered-hair wrapped up in a bun, a blood-stained copy of your favorite book, and blood spatters all over your sweater set.
Bio:
Award-winning writer and screenwriter Judith Graves loves tragic romance, werewolves, vampires, magic and all things a bit creepy. A firm believer that teen fiction can be action-packed, snarky and yet hit all the right emotional notes, Judith writes stories with attitude. She lives in northern Alberta and when she’s not writing, or playing bass in a cover band, she works in a school library.
Judith on Twitter & Facebook Blog
Fright Before Christmas: 13 Tales of Holiday Horrors
It’s the most wonderful time of year…or is it?
Christmas Eve is a night of mystery and magic, but not always in ways we expect. Things lurk in the shadows and they’re not the least bit jolly or merry. Let’s just say some presents are better left unopened.‘Tis the season to be screaming along with our thirteen tales of holiday horrors. Ghosts. Monsters. Demons. And more!This Christmas, be careful what you wish for…Edited by Shannon Delany and Kelly Hashway with stories by: Richard Ankers, Jessica Bayliss, Ty Drago, Judith Graves, Jackie Horsfall, Patrick Hueller, Ally Mathews, Laura Pauling, Boyd Reynolds, Medeia Sharif, Andrea Stanet, Lea Storry, and Dax Varley
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GIVEAWAY Treats!! Follow the Tour on Twitter @TheCrossroadsBT a Rafflecopter giveaway
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October 19, 2015
A Weekend of Firsts.
A dear old friend of mine invited me to join her at Liberty State Park last Sunday for the Ashrams for Autism First Annual 5K run. What fun! And what incredible early morning views of downtown Manhattan.
I run as much as I can though I have never entered a race. Not until yesterday. I brought my hubby, who also has never run a race, much less run 5 K. Sometimes we run together, only to have him splinter off with our lab mix, who no longer wants to go the distance with me.
An inspiring charity, Ashrams for Autism
Started in 2010, Ashrams fo Autism grew out of founder, Sharon's love for her daughter, Kerri, who is on the spectrum, and her passion for Yoga. The programs were developed to bring those on the spectrum peace and dignity. Sharon's vision for Ashrams for Autism is to build and grow and ashram community.
Please check out her website and become involved. My dear friend Nidhi Hubba, introduced me to this incredible charity and to Sharon.
Nidhi was there sharing her love and knowledge of therapeutic essence and healing stones. The kids flocked to her table. Her company is Aum Home. You can have a consultation and she'll tell you how best to decorate any space in all the tones and colors that'll help you express who you are. I can't wait to become more involved in the future with Ashrams for Autism, and as far as the 5K race . . .
I won FIRST PLACE for my age group! And hubby placed 2nd...for his age group. We crossed the finish line together. Not bad for our first 5K. Not bad at all. Until next year! Hope to see you there.
I run as much as I can though I have never entered a race. Not until yesterday. I brought my hubby, who also has never run a race, much less run 5 K. Sometimes we run together, only to have him splinter off with our lab mix, who no longer wants to go the distance with me.
An inspiring charity, Ashrams for Autism
Started in 2010, Ashrams fo Autism grew out of founder, Sharon's love for her daughter, Kerri, who is on the spectrum, and her passion for Yoga. The programs were developed to bring those on the spectrum peace and dignity. Sharon's vision for Ashrams for Autism is to build and grow and ashram community.
Please check out her website and become involved. My dear friend Nidhi Hubba, introduced me to this incredible charity and to Sharon.
Nidhi was there sharing her love and knowledge of therapeutic essence and healing stones. The kids flocked to her table. Her company is Aum Home. You can have a consultation and she'll tell you how best to decorate any space in all the tones and colors that'll help you express who you are. I can't wait to become more involved in the future with Ashrams for Autism, and as far as the 5K race . . .
I won FIRST PLACE for my age group! And hubby placed 2nd...for his age group. We crossed the finish line together. Not bad for our first 5K. Not bad at all. Until next year! Hope to see you there.
October 5, 2015
Case of the Washed-up Warlock (Poison Ivy Charm School #2)
When thirteen-year-old Tulip Bonnaire’s super-cute crush, Dexter, is threatened with expulsion from Poison Ivy Charm School, she can’t help but take the case. Someone has put a spell on Garrett’s Levitation skills and all the evidence, which includes the testimony of a sea hag stone, is pointing to Dex. Tulip can’t imagine Poison Ivy without Dex, so she’s intent on proving his innocence. But that means delving into an old secret to find out who turned Garrett into a washed-up warlock.
Excerpt:
“Any news yet?” He sat down on his bed and wedged himself against a mountain of pillows. I was about to answer when a glint of gray caught my eye. A stone the size of a cookie, with an uneven hole in the middle of it, sat on his bedside table. “Is that your enchanted sea hag stone?” The one that had started all the trouble? “Yeah. Glad she finally woke up and told me ’bout Dexter busting into my closet.” I ignored him and approached the troublemaking pebble. Its smooth exterior was cool against my skin when I rolled it between my fingers. Not a sign of life existed until I dropped it – kinda accidentally – onto his table. Thud. Dark, creepy eyes appeared, lined with spiky, green eyelashes. A tiny mouth with slimy black lips emerged around the hole. And a long, carrot-shaped nose covered in warts jutted out. “Hey, you. Don’t drop me like a bag of dirt.” Her voice screeched like a spider monkey on a rampage. I laughed. “You talking about Garrett’s Lev performance?” Garrett cleared his throat. “That’s not my fault. It’s a spell.” “Don’t you drop me again, you idiotic hooligan.” The sea hag had a ’tude stronger than Alexandria’s. I wanted to fling the stupid stone out the window, but that wasn’t the best way to get information. If the dumb hag had seen Dexter, maybe she’d seen something else that could help me solve the case. “Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to.” “Yeah, right. I know a rock dropper when I see one.” I stifled a smirk and a smart comment about a rolling stone. “You see anything else suspicious in Garrett’s room?” She batted her needle-like eyelashes. “Nothing but that nerd ’lock who slipped in here like some moron ghost who hasn’t mastered being dead yet. He fumbled with the door forever before crashing in like a nitwit.” Anger shot through my veins like an ink pen explosion. First Garrett had insulted Dex. And now some stone with a hideous, old hag face? Who do they think they are? I grabbed the dumb rock with both hands and pinched the sea hag’s ugly warty nose, intent on breaking it off. But she bit me! Her moldy teeth chomped down on my fingers, drawing blood. “Ouch! You stupid sea hag!” I tried to hurl her against the wall, but her grip was like a pit bull’s. If pit bulls had carrot-shaped noses, spider monkey voices, and moldy teeth. “Get this thing off me,” I yelled at Garrett. “Or I’ll drop your case.”
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Author Bio:
Patrice Lyle has never met a ghost story she didn’t like. She’s been fascinated with the paranormal since childhood. She attributes this fascination to having heard old family stories of ghostly wreaths, ESP, and money hidden in the lining of antique purses. She grew up on the Oregon Coast and has a Master’s Degree in Writing Popular Fiction. Now she lives with her husband and two cats on Florida’s Space Coast, where she’s working on her next novel under an umbrella on the beach. For more information, please visit her website at www.patricebooks.com.
September 28, 2015
Cover Reveal of Fright Before Christmas, the new middle grade anthology from Leap Books, LLC.
Book Blurb:
It's the most wonderful time of year...or is it?
Christmas Eve is a night of mystery and magic, but not always in ways we expect. Things lurk in the shadows and they're not the least bit jolly or merry. Let's just say some presents are better left unopened.
‘Tis the season to be screaming along with our thirteen tales of holiday horrors. Ghosts. Monsters. Demons. And more!
This Christmas, be careful what you wish for...
Author List:
Richard Ankers
Jackie Horsfall
Boyd Reynolds
Lea Storry
Ally Mathews
Laura Pauling
Ty Drago
Jessica Bayliss
Judith Graves
Andrea Stanet
Patrick Hueller
Dax Varley
Medeia Sharif
Pre-Order Sale and Book Links: Goodreads
Goodreads Giveaway Wow, that was one creepy book trailer! I cannot wait to sink my eyes into this!
September 24, 2015
REVIEW TOUR for MINOTAUR by PHILLIP W. SIMPSON
I wasn’t expecting to be swept away, but I was, into the port of Iraklion, Knossos, the once glorious capital of Crete.
We meet the Roman poet Ovid, known for his epic poem: The Metamorphosis, on a research trip for his work-in-progress. A poet, not a historian, he visits Crete to see the fabled home of the Minotaur for himself.
In the port of Iraklion, Ovid meets the largest man he’d ever seen, unshaven, hair that looked like it was chopped with a clumsy blade. He’s also his new guide into the ruins of Knossos, and into the ruins of the Labyrinth. Where Ast, otherwise known as Asterion, otherwise known as the Minotaur, the half bull and half man of Greek Mythology, begins to tell his side of the story. Was it a true story? Ovid’s scholarly quest for knowledge wins and he’s all-ears, listening to Asterion’s tale. So was I.I was entirely compelled to hear more of his story.
We learn of King Minos, Asterion’s cruel stepfather, and about his abused, but devoted mother. Deformed from birth, accused, and insulted throughout his life, a product of a God, he grew up despised by King Minos. Reminded of Asterion’s mother’s infidelity with Poseidon, the Minotaur’s real father.
Asterion begins his tale, from before he was sent into the Labyrinth. He tells of his great love, with so much tenderness for a brute. But was he?There is much heartbreak, and a lot of humanity in this telling. Ovid can’t help following the stranger home and writing down every word he speaks. Even if the stranger is recounting a story that happened 1000 years ago. But it was entirely believable—for Ovid, and for me. Ovid is enraptured, and the wine keeps flowing.
There are some fun twists, I realized as I looked up each Greek character. Theseus is there and we learn so much about their relationship and Asterion’s side of the story. The action scenes were fluid and entertaining, and the depth of loyalty, inspiring.
I love how the book opens with the cast of characters—for those of us who need a little refresher. MINOTAUR is such a well-written, entertaining story, and could very well be, the true tale of the Minotaur. A great YA read!
“But people didn’t want the truth. They wanted to believe in heroes and monsters.”
ABOUT MINOTAUR:
Minotaur by Phillip W. SimpsonPublication Date: September 29, 2015Publisher: Month9books
“Where shall I start?” asked Minotaur.
Ovid made an expansive gesture with both hands. “Where else but the beginning of course.”
Minotaur nodded his huge head. “Yes,” he said. “Yes,” his eyes already glazing over with the weight of thousand year old memories. And then he began.
So begins the story of Asterion, later known as Minotaur, the supposed half bull creature of Greek legend. Recorded by the famous Roman poet, Ovid, Asterion tells of his boyhood in Crete under the cruel hand of his stepfather Minos, his adventures with his friend, Theseus, and his growing love for the beautiful Phaedra.And of course what really happened in the labyrinth.
This is the true story of the Minotaur.
Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Indiebound | Kobo | TBD | Google Play
Giveaway Information: Contest ends October 23, 2015
· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson (INT)
Goodreads Giveaway
ABOUT PHILLIP W. SIMPSON:
Phillip W. Simpson is the author of many novels, chapter books and other stories for children. His publishers include Macmillan, Penguin, Pearson, Cengage, Raintree and Oxford University Press.He received both his undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Archaeology and his Masters (Hons) degree in Archaeology from the University of Auckland.Before embarking on his writing career, he joined the army as an officer cadet, owned a comic shop and worked in recruitment in both the UK and Australia.His first young adult novel, Rapture (Rapture Trilogy #1), was shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for best Youth novel in 2012.
He is represented by Vicki Marsdon at Wordlink literary agency.
When not writing, he works as a school teacher.Phillip lives and writes in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Rose, their son, Jack and their two border terriers, Whiskey and Raffles. He loves fishing, reading, movies, football (soccer) and single malt Whiskeys.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Chapter by Chapter Tour Schedule
