Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 550

An Entangled Halloween Story and Giveaway with Nina Croft

Spooky Storiesby Nina Croft
I'm English, and in England, we don't celebrate Halloween as much as Americans seem to. In fact, growing up, I'd never even heard of trick-o-treating until I saw the movie ET. And the closest we got to fancy costumes, was a white sheet over our heads so we could be ghosts.
But one family tradition I do remember from Halloween, was my older sister would gather us together (there were five of us) turn out the lights, and tell us spooky stories. Anne was a great storyteller, and I doubt anyone slept after one of these sessions—I certainly didn't. But the stories I always found scariest weren't the ones about ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night, but the ones about bad people.
One story that sticks in my mind was called, The Little White Dog, a sort of traditional British horror story (and I always kept my hands tucked tightly in the bed after hearing this one). So here (from my long ago memory) is my retelling of it.

The Little White Dog
Maybe, if she lay very still, he would forget she was there. Just take what he wanted from the house and leave her alone. Sarah clung to the hope with every cell in her body. In fact, she could no longer hear him moving around the house; perhaps he'd already gone.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but from where she lay on the bed, she could hear the drone of the television in the room next door. The news was on—so it must be ten o'clock—some report about an escaped prisoner.
"Again, this is a news alert. Serial killer Colin Hunter, dubbed Colin the Cannibal by the press, for his habit of partially devouring his victims, has escaped from the maximum security facility where he was awaiting sentencing. Police warn—do not under any circumstances approach."
For a second, her mind refused to make sense of the words. Then a whimper trickled from her throat, oozing around the scarf stuffed in her mouth. Her stomach turned to hot, molten liquid, and she swallowed the nausea that rose to the back of her throat.
Squeezing her eyes tight shut, she tried to control her panic. It was just coincidence. Wasn't it?
A rope of some sort was tied around her middle, strapping her to the bed. She wriggled frantically, but although she could move her lower arms, she couldn't reach the knots.
Maybe Scamp could help. Scamp, her little white dog, usually slept on the rug in front of the fire.
But sometimes, if she had a nightmare, he would come and lie beside the bed, and she could stroke his silky fur until she was soothed back to sleep.
This was her worst nightmare. Why didn't he come? Not daring to make a noise, she hung her hand down over the bed and rubbed her fingers together silently. Nothing happened, and she stared up at the ceiling and prayed.
A warm wet tongue licked her fingers, and a flicker of hope blossomed inside her. Now, if she could just get Scamp on the bed, he could chew through the knots, and they could both escape out the bedroom window.
She rolled her head to the side. And a silent scream rose up inside her as. Through the open door, in the flickering light from the fire, she could see Scamp. He lay on the rug, unmoving, asleep or….
The tongue licked her palm. A low chuckle sounded from the floor beside the bed, then a soft whisper.
"Dinner time."

Want to Win an ecopy of Nina's Break Out?
Leave a comment on this spot with your email to be entered

BLOOD HUNTER SERIES - Book One by Nina Croft

The year is 3048, Earth is no longer habitable, and man has fled to the stars where they've discovered the secret of immortality—Meridian. Unfortunately, the radioactive mineral is exorbitantly expensive and only available to a select few. A new class comprised of the super rich and immortal soon evolves. The Collective, as they're called, rule the universe.

Two-thousand-year-old Ricardo Sanchez, vampire and rogue pilot of the space cruiser, El Cazador, can't resist two things: gorgeous women and impossible jobs. When beautiful Skylar Rossaria approaches him to break a prisoner out of the Collective's maximum security prison on Trakis One, Rico jumps at the chance. Being hunted by the Collective has never been so dangerous–or so fun!

An Entangled Halloween Guest Blog and Giveaway with Aubrie Dionne

Home Made CostumesBy Aubrie Dionne
Growing up in a family of four, we didn't have money for fancy, store bought costumes, so my mom made all of our costumes. She sewed old curtains into princess dresses, leopard fabric into a jumpsuit, and used some of her old clothes to make gypsy skirts. My sister and I always dressed as twins, so she made two costumes: mine a little bigger than hers.
My mom was very creative! I think homemade costumes are the best when you have the time to make them. As a kid, I didn't know the difference between my costumes and the other kids'. But now, looking back, I feel very proud to have had her make them for me.
Last year I went to a costume party with my husband. We both work, so I bought the costumes off of a website. They looked amazing, of course, (which you'll see in the picture-I'm Arwen the elf, and my husband is a cross between Leogolas and Aragorn. We had a blond wig, but he wanted a sword instead of a bow.) But, somehow it didn't feel as good as wearing the ones my mom used to make.
Have you ever made your own Halloween costume?
What were some of the things that you made?
Answer Aubrie's question in a comment below for a chance
to win an ebook copy of Aubrie's book Malicifer


And be sure to check out her Entangled book Paradise 21A New Dawn Novel, Book One by Aubrie Dionne

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind's last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won't be reached in Aries' lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.

But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet's native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

An Entangled Guest Blog and Giveaway with Jess Macallan

Title: Stone Cold Seduction
Author: Jess Macallan
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: September 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-24-4
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-25-1

SET IN STONE - Book One - by Jess Macallan


"Elle. It's just Elle."
When a regular night of Robin Hood-ery results in the manifestation of some, um, unusual paranormal abilities, perfume-maker Elleodora Fredricks realizes the normal world she lives in isn't quite… normal. And neither is she, thanks to her father, king of the shadow elves. Not only is he evil incarnate and the reason Elle moonlights as a burglar—someone has to take care of all his victims—he's stolen her memories.
And only reading her fate can fix that.
Good thing she's got a trio of hotties willing to help her find said fate. Saving her oracle BFF's fiancée, falling in love with the gargoyle, and making up for breaking the phoenix's heart ought to be a piece of cake for the princess of the shadow elves.
If only the king didn't want his daughter dead…


About the Author:
Jess lives in the Inland Northwest with her husband and three children. She thrives on creative chaos. Curiosity drives her to try new things as often as
possible.
When not writing or chasing trouble, she teaches yoga, reads, runs a mini farm, watches MMA and gardens. The only things she takes seriously are
chocolate, tea and world domination. But mostly chocolate.











Giveaway Time
Jess is offering an ebook copy of Stone Cold Seduction to one lucky reader today
Want to Win?
Then leave a comment on this post with your email addy
Answer the question:What are you secretly afraid of?
Get a bonus entry (each)for following Jess on Twitter and Facebook

An Entangled Halloween Story with Jus Accardo

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David's Demons

The light from the full moon filtered through the dirty skylight, illuminating
enough of the room to cast eerie shadows on all the walls. They laughed, the
shadows. Taunting and teasing. They knew I wasn't alone.

It was here with me.

The monster.

I first encountered the creature two weeks ago. From a peaceful slumber I woke
as something skimmed my flesh. Tiny prickles, feather light, made me cry out in
surprise. When I recovered my wits, it had already gone. Vanished as though it
had never been.

Several days passed before we crossed paths again. This time bolder, it stepped
from the shadows as I prepared my dinner, lingering only long enough to taunt
me, before fading back into the darkness.

I tried to chase it that time and failed. It was much too quick. Much too
smart.

As the days went by, we continued the same game. It would appear, staying just
long enough to ensure I'd caught a glimpse, before slinking silently back into
the nether.

What do you want from me? I screamed, as it disappeared on the sixth
night. It wouldn't answer. It never answered.

I questioned people. Had anyone else seen it? Did they know what it was? What it
wanted? Did they know how I could rid myself of its disease? Frantic, I
approached everyone.

Several of days of this and I found myself the undesirable target of clandestine
whispers and strange looks. By the tenth day, I stopped going to work. There was
no longer any point.

I was sure this thing had been sent to me as punishment. These subtle
visitations were the work of some higher power. A cosmic force of justice. I'd
done something wrong. Committed a grievous crime. This creature, sent from the
very depths of hell, was to be my guide on the pathway to insanity. To ensure I
paid for my sins.

I deserved to pay.

Each evening would find me in the same place, doing the same thing. As soon as
sunlight began to dwindle, I positioned myself in the middle of the living room
floor. There I sat, waiting. The creature never made me wait long.

Each day I was ready, a new weapon in hand. Each day it emerged from the
shadows, laughing at my fear and whispering things to the dark no one else knew.
Secrets. My secrets.

On the fourteenth day the game changed. The sun set. Hours passed as the clock
ticked each second with a deafening echo. This time, the creature did not emerge
from the shadows on schedule, and before long, I started to doze.

I woke to a foul stench and gossamer voice in my ear.

I saw what you did, it hissed. I was there. I saw it all.

Liar! I cried into the inky blackness. €œNo one was there!

I was there, the voice came again. €œI saw it all. Heard it all. You killed that girl.

Images of the crime washed over me. The way her blood pooled in odd shapes on
the ground around her lifeless corpse. Her head, twisted at an unnatural angle,
tilted skyward as though she was looking right through me. It was an accident! I screamed. She was mean and I got angry!

Your soul is black, the voice laughed. It's withered and stained.

The creature made a noise that could only be describe as delighted.

Anticipatory. You will make a delectable snack. We will take you with us.

I bolted upright, covered in a cold sweat. To my left, the digital clock above
the TV was blank. The power had gone out.

I rose, and from the corner of my eye, saw it. The creature had come at last.

I'm not going anywhere with you! I spat. Movement in the corner of the
room caught my eye as the creature glided past. I struck out blindly with the
rusted axe I'd found in the back of my garage. It crashed into the glass end
table. A loud crack, followed by a thousand plinks and clatters as the shards
fell to the hardwood floor.

To my right, the creature laughed. A cold sound birthed by madness and violence.
€œYou cannot fight us for we are legion.

I tried to step towards the door, but something tangled my feet. Landing hard on
the floor, the breath was banished from my lungs and the axe was knocked from my
grasp.

Leave me alone! My fingers clawed the hardwood in search of a new weapon.

All I found was a shoe.

Rain pounded the rooftop, it's almost musical tapping providing an eerie
soundtrack. Lightning flashed. Drawing myself up, shoe in hand, I lunged toward
the sound of the creature's voice.

I missed.

Another brilliant flash and I saw the creature's outline ahead of me. Again I
lunged, swinging my pitiful weapon with the desperation of a starving man. I
landed on top of the thing, beating it until my arms were on fire and heavy with
fatigue.

Another flash of lightning provided me proof that the attack had been
successful. In front of me lay the creature's black, lifeless body. A plump
round corpse split open at the side and oozing a viscous, milky white substance,
surrounded by eight long spindly legs.

For the first time in two weeks, there was silence. A peaceful haze settled. I
let finality of it all wash over me and laid my head in my hands and cried.

A moment passed. Maybe two. I was about to stand when the laughter came again.
Not from one particular place, but all around.

Yes, a symphony of voices hissed in unison. You will make a fine meal.

The storm passed and the lights flickered to life. The creature, hundreds of
them actually, covered every inch of the room. From the ceiling, a dozen hung,
descending on shimmering, silvery stands.

I screamed.

TOUCH

A DENAZEN NOVEL - Book One - by Jus Accardo

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her. It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there's more to this boy—and her father's "law firm"—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Entangled Halloween Guest Post and Giveaway with Cate Lord

I never imagined Halloween would be one of the most important days of my life. I've never been a huge fan of Halloween, because, well, I'm a gigantic scaredy-cat. I've always been terrified of skeletons and mummies, maybe because my parents took me to the British Museum in London, England, when I was very young and I got freaked out by the shriveled, three-thousand-year-old corpses in the Ancient Egyptian section.
Part of my terror, I'm sure, is that I have a very good imagination (no wonder I'm a romance writer and my books have happy endings!). The stuff that happens in horror flicks? Even though I know the blood is fake and the people are actors and there are no such things as brain-sucking, eyeball-eating zombies who lurk under the floor before reaching up to yank down their prey? Well, no matter how miniscule the chance, that just might really happen to me.
Back to Halloween. Specifically, Halloween sixteen years ago. I was seven months pregnant, my belly as big as a beach ball, and I started having contractions. It was too early for me to go into labor; I had another five weeks to go until our daughter would be full term. As I lay in the hospital bed, hooked up to beeping machines with my worried husband and nurses hovering at my bed, I silently swore I would not have a baby on Halloween. A little pumpkin? Ha! No. Not happening. Nope.
But guess what? My daughter decided she was tired of the cramped accommodations and was delivered via emergency C-section. I've since learned that when my smart, beautiful, talented daughter wants to do something, she'll find a way to do it—and that includes picking her own day to be born, thank you very much.
At our house, Halloween is a day for celebrating. Through the years, we've done parties where guests arrive in costume, served fun food like dirt cupcakes arranged on platters crawling with plastic spiders, and decorated with carved pumpkins and tissue paper ghosts. Nothing too scary. Because, after all, it's a birthday first and foremost, our day to honor the special young lady who has inspired me and my husband in so many ways, some that have found their way into my novels.
If my daughter asked me for a party with skeletons and mummies? Well, she hasn't yet. I doubt she ever will. Because, you see, she knows her mom is one scaredy-cat author.



Title: Lucky Girl
Author: Cate Lord
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Launch Date: September 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-20-6
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-21-3

Jessica Devlin isn't looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she's determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she'll be maid-of-honor at her cousin's wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando's O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.

But when she steps into the church on her cousin's wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She's never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather's funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.

Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.

Find Lucky Girl at Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Powell's | BAM | Diesel | Books On Board
About the Author:
Cate Lord is the contemporary pen name of multi‐award‐winning historical romance author Catherine Kean. Her novels have garnered numerous accolades, including two Reviewer's Choice Awards and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
Her books also finaled in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the 2008 National Readers' Choice Awards.

Grateful for her wildly active imagination and plenty of story ideas, Cate is busy working on her next book. She lives in Central Florida with her husband,
daughter, and a very spoiled cat.
Connect with Cate: Facebook | Goodreads | CateLord.com






Cate is offering a signed copy of Lucky Girl
Open to US Shipping
Leave a comment and email to enter

An Entangled Halloween Guest Blog and Giveaway with Laura Kaye

Which Ghost Story Really Happened?
By Laura Kaye

I love a good ghost story—don't you? And what better time of the year to tell them! So, in the spirit of Halloween, turn off your lights and read this post in the dark. Here's the Halloween trick part of my post: which story actually happened? See down below for the Halloween treats I'm offering. Now, read on, faithful reader…

1)
Something woke Annie up. She rubbed her eyes and looked to the right. Her cousin Christine's wide brown eyes peered back at her, just visible in the darkness. They were enjoying a rare sleepover together, and sharing Christine's narrow twin bed.

"It's really cold in here," she whispered.

"I know."

Christine's eyes bulged as she looked over Annie's shoulder toward the open doorway to the hallway. "What's that?"

Annie turned her head, the hair rising on her arms, and was sure her expression mirrored Christine's. A faint blue light lingered just outside the door.

Chris grabbed Annie's hand under the blanket. "Something's coming," she rasped.

Annie felt the truth of her words deep in her tummy.

And then the light entered the room. Dull at first, and shaped like a small ball, the bluish glow crossed the room. Slowly. Steadily. The shape changed as it floated mid-air, elongated until it appeared the height of a short grown-up. On the far side of the room, at a door that went up to the old farmhouse's attic, the hovering light paused. Christine's grip became painful, but Annie squeezed just as tightly. Whatever was in the light, it was looking at them. Aware.

The lower half of the light widened, took the shape of an old-timey floor-length skirt. Annie felt inexplicably sad inside as she watched, in wide-eyed wonder, as the light disappeared through the door.

2)
"I'm going to go to McDonald's for lunch, Mom. Be right back," Jenny called.

Without waiting for a response, Jenny went out the backdoor and down the porch steps into the narrow alley between her townhouse and the bigger townhouse on the corner. They lived on the main street of a two-stoplight town, and it was a short walk to the brand new McDonalds. The neighboring townhouse was a stately red brick Victorian. The women who lived there, Miss Betty and Miss Patty, had never married, that Jenny knew of, and had lived together their whole lives. Only, recently, Miss Betty had fallen ill and, for the past two weeks, she'd been in the ICU unit at the hospital. Jenny knew that because her mom had checked in on Miss Patty to make sure she was doing okay.

Jenny started down the back yard, and movement caught her eye. She looked up and couldn't help her huge smile. Miss Betty was walking up the sidewalk in the neighboring yard, the picture of health.

"Hi, Miss Betty. Glad you're feeling better," Jenny said.

Miss Betty smiled and kept walking toward the house.

Jenny had a spring in her step as she walked the two blocks down to the McDonald's. Bag of food in hand, she hurried back, eager to tell her mom. She pushed through the screen door into the kitchen and called, "Mom, I'm back," as the door sprang shut behind her.

Her mom walked into the kitchen, laundry basket on her hip. She seemed distracted as she set the basket on the table.

"Hey, guess what?"

"Hmm?" she asked.

"I just saw Miss Betty! She's home. She looked great."

Her mom whirled. "What?"

"Yeah. On the way to McDonald's." Jenny stuffed three French fries in her mouth.

"Jenny, that can't be."

Jenny shrugged. "I'm telling you. Didn't even look like she was sick."

"But Jenny, I just got off the phone with Miss Patty. Miss Betty died at the hospital this morning."

3)
Maura became aware of the knocking slowly. She'd been deep into a book, and was nearly finished. As always, she tended to block out the rest of the world when a book got its hooks into her.

Knock. Knock.

She looked up from her Kindle. Paused. Listened. It was 11:30 at night, and everyone else in the house was asleep. Now that she paid attention, she realized she'd been hearing those two knocks at perhaps ten minute intervals for a while. And they weren't the usual noises she knew the house made. They seemed to be coming form the center of the kids' playroom. She could see the darkened doorway from where she sat on the living room couch.

Thoughts of her mom flooded her mind. Just a jumble of disconnected images and memories. All of her mom. Who had died nearly six years before of a stroke.

Maura chuckled. Everyone in her family believed in the supernatural. It was just a part of their growing up. So, when her mom had died so unexpectedly, she hoped and prayed her mother would find a way to visit her, send her a sign she was okay wherever she was. There were two instances when she thought that might've actually happened, but both were in the days and months after she died. Years ago, now.

Her ears on the alert and her nerves piqued, Maura turned back to her book. Within fifteen minutes, she finished, but though the knock had never returned, she was now freaked out. Knowing she was acting ridiculous, she turned on lights every step of the way as she walked to her bedroom and got ready to sleep.

She chuckled as she mentally tried to calm herself down. She thought, You know, I should say, 'Hey Mom, if that's you, knock three times this time.' Maura shook her head at her wishful thinking and eventually her mind drifted off to her long to-do list for the next day.

Finally, sleep began to lure her, and Maura closed her eyes.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Maura's eyes flew open, and stared at the wall behind her headboard, the one that connected with the unused guest room. Adrenaline sent her heart into a sprint, but just as quickly, she calmed, because she'd gotten what she asked for.

"Good night, Mama," she said.

HALLOWEEN TREAT GIVEAWAY
Anyone else get chills?
Bwuhaha! Okay, so the Halloween trick is: guess which story(s) is/are true and leave the number in your comment!
Also, feel free to share a ghost story of your own—I love 'em!
The Halloween treats are as follows: one commenter will win a $10 Amazon gift card and a complete signed set of my Romance Trading Cards from all four of my books!
Open to international contestants.
Comments with email addresses left through midnight EST 10/22 will be entered to win!
Check back at the end of the Entangled Halloween Party to learn the correct answer and see who won!
Thanks for reading! Have a boooktacular Halloween!
~Laura Kaye

Buy Laura's Books

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

[image error] And, just in time for Halloween…the gods are coming…

NORTH OF NEED – Book 1 in the Hearts of the Anemoi Series (releases 11/1)
Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves...

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she's recreated the very thing she'll never have.

Called to life by Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration--before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.

An Entangled Halloween with Boone Brux

Living the Haunted Life
By Boone Brux

I grew up in a haunted house. Not the good kind. No Caspar to hang out with. No Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin ghostly-type couple to tell my woes to. The spirits that inhabited our big, turn-of-the-century home felt sinister, like we were intruding where we didn't belong.

When I was in fifth grade, my parents bought the house for $15,000. My mother loved the eerie domicile. She became obsessed with redecorating, stripping the ornate woodwork and parquet floors, even painting the outside charcoal black with white trim. Remember the Amityville Horror, when James Brolin weirds out? Okay, bad comparison. Mom didn't wig like that badly, but the creepy vibes and ominous presence that plagued my brother and I seemed silent around her.

If I had to recreate a basement for a horror movie, it would be from that house. Narrow, single planks of wood formed backless steps. Every creak of the dry wood as I descended the stairs sent shivers racing up my spin. Surely some creature of the damned waited to grab my ankles.

The basement consisted of three rooms. The first was lit by a single bulb hanging from the low ceiling in the center. This meant traversing several feet of darkness before fumbling to find the thin, dangling string to pull. I remember the way the bulb swung back and forth, rocking its light into the dark corners before retreating again.

There was no electricity in the small room to the left. It was long and narrow, the darkness so dense it hurt my eyes. The last room was the worst. In the far wall yawned a wide, black hole. If an entrance to Hell existed, this was it.

Two doors led to the basement. The one on the back porch had glass windows that allowed me to stare into the dark abyss. Oftentimes I'd challenge myself not to run and gaze down the stairs for ten seconds, all the while praying that nothing would step from the shadows and peer back at me.

The second door was in our kitchen. So many times I'd walked into the room and notice the door cracked open. I'd tiptoe over, take a deep breath, grab the knob and slam the door. I'd give it a little push to make sure the latch caught. Then I'd back away, watching the knob for the slightest jiggle or twist. But it didn't matter. When I'd return to the kitchen, even if it had only been five minutes, and even if I was the only one in the house, the door would be open—again.

I believe kids are susceptible to the unexplainable. For me, the most horrifying thing was the entity that often entered a room. It brought with it a sense of being watched and a suffocating presence. Cold dread would pour over me, my breath would catch in my throat and my heart would pound so hard I thought it would pop from my chest. I taught myself not to panic, to stay calm, get up slowly and leave the room. Sometimes it followed, but usually not. I'd rush to find another living person, but if I was home alone, I'd run outside. Oftentimes, behind the massive oak tree in the front yard was the only place that felt safe. I'd peek around the trunk and stare up at the tall bedroom windows; sure I'd see a shadowed figure gazing back.

My mother was oblivious and for a long time I thought I was the only one who experienced such things. One night, a few years ago, my brother and I were talking. I mentioned "the house".

He looked at me, his face draining of color. "I hated that place. Something evil lived there."

I was stunned and slightly relieved. He went on to tell me about the night he woke up and a man was standing at the foot of his bed. He wore a cloak and hat, but his face was shrouded in darkness. My brother's room had once been the old servants' quarters. Perhaps the ghost was the carriage driver or a servant in the home. The sight of the specter frightened my brother so badly he threw the covers over his head and hid until morning.

I did point out that blankets rarely fended off an attack, but in his defense, I can attest to the paralyzing fear that renders a person helpless to cry out for help or flee. To this day my mom scratches her head and says, "I always loved that house." And at times, when I think about my childhood home too much, I dream that I'm there again, standing at the kitchen door as it creeks open and invites me in.


Boone's Shield of Fire will be released by Entangled Publishing Dec. 6, 2011

Visit Boone online:
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Giveaway with Lucianne Rivers

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As a romance writer I believe in awarding the Happy Ever After ending to my characters.
The three Caldwell Sisters find theirs in HOLD ME, THRILL ME, ENTICE ME and as a woman I search for my own real life HEA.

But how about you?
Stop by and let me know your relationship story.
The most unusual account of the journey to happily ever after wins a copy of all three of my novellas from Entangled Publishing.
To enter leave a comment on this post with your email address.

About the Author:
Lucianne writes romantic suspense for Entangled Publishing and Cobblestone Press. Born and raised in Ireland, she currently lives in New Mexico with her young daughter.
Formerly a stage and television actress, she now manages a non-profit and is NM State Champion in her weight class for Olympic style weightlifting. Long story.
Recently she has taken up Crossfit, Jiu Jitsu and kickboxing.

Web: www.luciannerivers.com
Blog: www.viceandvalkyries.blogspot.com





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Caldwell Sisters - Book One - Lucianne Rivers
Still reeling from her mother's death, news anchor Jane Caldwell's life is upended further when she learns the father she lost twenty years ago is still alive. Her mother's will unleashes a manhunt—the Caldwell sisters must find their father, or their mother's estate will not be settled, and their questions about his disappearance will remain unanswered.
Jane's search leads her to Guatemala to investigate a man who claims to be her father and heir to the family fortune. Needing a translator, she enlists enigmatic Harrison DeNeuve, a sexy ex-patriot with a penchant for wearing dark sunglasses in public.
As Jane struggles to reunite with her would-be father, Harrison fights to suppress his desire for Jane. He has a secret—one he's sequestered himself in a third-world jungle hideaway to keep safe—and falling for Jane puts more than his heart at risk.
Jane finds two men in Guatemala—a father and a lover—but can she trust either of them?

Caldwell Sisters - Book Two - Lucianne Rivers
Santa Fe Police Detective Margo Caldwell needs a vacation, but the wild goose chase her mother's death triggers isn't quite what she had in mind. Margo and her sisters must locate their father, or the Caldwell estate will remain unsettled—and they'll never know why their father didn't return from the Gulf War.
Pursuing a lead, Margo heads to the Virgin Islands in search of Zach Caldwell. To navigate the waters of the Caribbean, she needs a boat and a captain. Too bad Captain Adrian Prince, with his mesmerizing muscles and wicked grin, may be gunrunner.
Adrian takes Margo on his delivery route to small islands near St. Thomas that hide more than wildlife, booze, and sexy boaters. On a remote, mangrove-ridden patch of sand, they find gun-toting Zach Caldwell.
When their mission turns deadly, Margo must save Adrian's life—and her own—even if she loses her heart in the process.

Caldwell Sisters - Book Three - Lucianne Rivers
Heartsick over the untimely death of her mother, Allison Caldwell is blindsided again by the secret revealed in her mom's will. Her supposedly dead father is alive, and she and her two sisters must find him in order to settle the Caldwell estate.
Robert Rivera, private investigator and former Navy SEAL, alerts Allison to new intel identifying her father as a P.O.W. in Afghanistan. With her sisters out of the country pursuing leads, Allison insists on heading to the war-ravaged country to find him. Robert doesn't want his naïve client to take the risk. He knows what danger lays in that godforsaken land…he's lived through it. Barely.
But Allison is determined to go, and Robert can't let her travel alone. Reluctantly appreciative, Allison quickly realizes how much she needs his guidance and protection, and how deeply she longs for his love. Robert struggles to understand her effect on his battle-weary heart.
The path to Allison's father is blocked by terrorists, traps and treachery—all demons of Robert's past. Can he survive a second round with the enemy and keep Allison out of harm's way?

An Entangled Halloween with Melanie Card and Ward Against Death Giveaway

Thank you Roxanne for inviting me to your blog today. I'm excited to be here. The theme is Halloween and I spent a long drive home contemplating what I'd write. Halloween means a lot of things to me: candy, spooky stories, and dress up, to name a few, but I think the thing I love the most about it is the mood. I'm not talking horror movies and gore—I'm not really a big fan of that, I tend to scare easily—I'm talking about the sense of dark mystery.

The car ride home, alone, in the dark, was what sparked this. The day had been warm, the last dying burst of summer. With a beautiful clear sky the evening's chill had nothing to stop it from sweeping in as soon as twilight fell and fog now sat, coiled, in the low-lying areas of the country road. It curled up from the ditches on either side, slithering ethereal tendril across the asphalt that caught in my headlight and tore apart as I passed through.

The light from the crescent moon cast deep shadows among the countryside. Fields of yet-to-be harvested corn stood sentinel to my left, tall enough to hide a man or monster. Trees to my right reached naked branches toward them. If I was on foot, perhaps on horseback (in my writing time period of choice—faux Renaissance), I'd feel the bite of the wind, carrying the promise of winter only a month or so away. The branches would creak, the dying leaves scratching and hissing against each other. The corn would also rattle, the dead dry stalking standing only because they haven't realized their season was over.

In this darkness and the dry rattle of death yet unrealized hide those things we don't want to acknowledge but can't deny. Evil, maliciousness, struggle, torment, and the inevitable end. They carry with them questions we can't answer or, even worse, answers we fear. And just as I prefer music in a minor key, I'm drawn to these questions, to the sense of heavy darkness and what lies beyond.

The road sweeps up and around a curve and cutting through the fog and the darkness is a glimmer of warm light. It's small but certain. A modest beacon on a white house at the end of a long laneway offering welcome and the promise that good lies within the deepest night.

I suppose this reveals I'm a romantic at heart. Even on the darkest night, with the darkest monsters watching, there is hope—this hope is one of the themes I write over and over again. This little anecdote certainly shows how susceptible I am to mood and imagery. It probably means I shouldn't be taking the back roads home after dark once fall hits.

Don't get me wrong, I love bright sunny images and moods, too. But there's just something about a foggy Halloween night that excites the storyteller in me.

Thanks again Roxanne for having me today.
Tell me readers- Do you have a favorite image or mood?


Title: Ward Against Death
Author: Melanie Card
Genre: New Adult/Upper YA Fantasy
Length: Novel – 285 pgs
Release Date: August 2, 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-08-4
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-09-1
Twenty-year-old Ward de'Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman's daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can't be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.
But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she's been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can't bring himself to break his damned physician's Oath and desert her.
However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she's treating Ward like sewage, the next she's kissing him. And for a nobleman's daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…


Get your copy of Ward Against Death at: Barnes & Noble | Books On Board | Diesel | iTunes | The Book Depository
About the Author
Melanie has always been drawn to story telling and can't remember a time when
she wasn't creating a story in her head. Her early stories were adventures with
fairies and dragons and sword swinging princesses.
Today she continues to spin tales of magic in lands near and far, while her cat sits
on the edge of her desk and supervises. When she's not writing, you can find her
pretending to be other people with her local community theatre groups.

Connect with Melanie: Facebook | Twitter @melaniecard | Goodreads | MelanieCard.com



Answer Melanie's question: Do you have a favorite image or mood?
To be entered to win an ecopy of Ward Against Death
Just leave a comment with your email

Entangled Publishing Halloween Party

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Welcome to the Entangled Publishing Halloween Party!

For the next two days Entangled authors will be sharing Halloween memories, Halloween short stories and offering lots of giveaways.
Check out the list below to see who will be here!


Boone Brux
Lisa Kessler
Sarah Gilman
Natalie J Damschroder
Laura Kaye
Nina Croft
Katee Robert
Rachel Firasek
Aubrie Dionne
Jus Accardo
Melanie Card
Lucianne Rivers
Patricia Eimer
Rosalie Lario
Cate Lord
Nicola Marsh
Theresa Meyers
Jess Macallan