Cate Masters's Blog, page 58

Guest post and new treat!

Karen Michelle Nutt loves Halloween as much as I do! She's also having a monthlong celebration at her blog, too.
Today I'm at Karen's blog, sharing some spooky superstitions about Halloween and death. And oh yeah, a little about Death, too! The female immortal is quite a character. :)

And, as promised, I'm also handing out treats today! You can download The Magic of Lavender from Smashwords for free using the code GJ53D. 
Hurry! Like all things paranormal, it won't last long. :)
Here's the blurb: Jocelyn Gibson forgot about the realm of magic. But it never forgot her. Gram always told her: don’t ignore your magical gifts, it will insult the family. But Joss didn’t realize her gifts included channeling the energy of powerful ley lines. Or that her family included a goddess. Family connections come in handy when the Lord of the Underworld kidnaps local vet Eric Hendricks. He’s an amazing lover, but Joss didn’t know she loved him until too late. With a little help from the Goddess Iris, Joss defends the new life she’s forged, and helps save the town of Boiling Springs from destruction. Once Eric escapes Hell, can she stop loving him to keep him safe?
The Magic of Lavender is the first book in The Goddess Connection series, which  says: Every woman should embrace her inner goddess. What’s your connection? 
Another treat!
Last year, I teamed with three incredible authors to put together an anthology of paranormal romance shorts. Love Bites is available for free every day! You can download yours from Smashwords and all affiliated sites.
These stories are included: Dragon Race by Barbara Elsborg In this race between lovers, who wins and who loses?
Jacquelyn in the Box by D.L. Jackson What would you give up for love?
Laying Claim by Cate Masters A curse for one means salvation for both, Celia finds.
Run by Arlene Webb A run for charity turns deadly, and two strangers learn they have a lot more to give than blood.

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Julie Lynn Hayes adds to the Halloween fun

Cate: Please welcome Julie Lynn Hayes to my special Halloween celebration. Julie, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Julie: I live in the St. Louis area with my twenty-two year old daughter and two cats. I’ve been writing for over forty years. I had some stories and poems that were published in the 90’s, at a time when the usual form of payment was a copy of the magazine you were published in. That was before the Internet and home pc’s. These have been a boon to authors wanting to be published. I’ve been published by Dreamspinner Press, Silver Publishing, and have releases coming out with Museit Up Publishing as well. When I’m not writing, I’m editing. I love reading and movies, and try to visit my children as often as I can. I’d love to travel more in the future.


Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?
Julie: I love the paranormal themes that surround Halloween. I’m a big fan of vampires and werewolves and it’s reflected in my books. I love to see how people decorate their homes, and I love the costumes, whether the children as they go trick or treating or the adults, in cosplay or parties. The weather is not too hot, and not yet cold. Ghosties and ghoulies and things that go bump in the night are fun ideas to play with, especially if you pair them with a romantic theme.


Cate: Aren't they, though? :) Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?
Julie: Taking my kids trick or treating, getting them dressed up and taking them around and seeing how excited they’d get. One year, one of the houses had refreshments for the adults so the parents could stand for a minute and catch their breath and have a quick drink, while the kids got their candy.


Cate: Love that idea. Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?
Julie: Yes, I have. A couple of people have told me my house is haunted by the ghost of my first husband, although I’ve not seen him myself. But I have been awakened by mysterious sounds, such as rapping on a door (my room has no door and the front door is too far from my room to hear), strange voices calling my name, and seeing what I believe were guardian angels.


Cate: What frightens you the most?
Julie:  The dark – I cannot sleep in complete darkness. And I’m terrified of old, narrow bridges that cross water. There was one bridge that went into Alton, Illinois – I wouldn’t drive across it, ever, and if I was a passenger and we crossed the bridge, I’d close my eyes.


Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?
Julie: No, but I’d like to. I watched a pseudo-documentary about strange phenomena, and the filmmakers put a tape recorder into a cemetery at night and recorded voices. I always wanted to do that, but my husband wouldn’t go with me, so it never happened.


Cate: Tell us about your release, and where readers can find it online.
Julie: Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire is available from Silver Publishing in three forms: eBook, print, and audio. It’s also available at Amazonand ARe.


Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Julie:
“Tis the night before Halloween, and Fisher Roberts wishes it was over, not being a fan of this or any other holiday.  But he tolerates it because his roommate/best friend Hunter Long takes a childish glee in all things Halloween.  And Fisher has a vested interest in keeping Hunter happy.  If only he could find the nerve to tell his childhood friend that he loves him, and has for a very long time.
Fisher thinks Hunter is carrying things a bit far this year, though.  First Hunter claims to be a vampire, and he just won’t let the silly joke go.  Then he forces Fisher to go to a costumed Halloween party which Fisher would rather avoid, especially when he realizes where it’s being held, and whose house it is. Things at Fisher’s job might just be going south, too, when he receives a mysterious summons to report to the editor’s office the next morning.  And then Fisher goes and does something stupid—like kissing Hunter!
Bad leads to worse when Fisher ends up at the Halloween party from Hell, and he learns something that threatens to destroy his and Hunter’s relationship forever. Running from his fears, Fisher encounters a strange young man with an unusual resemblance to Leonardo di Caprio, who shows him things he never realized before, truths about his life and the people in it.
Can Fisher find his way back to Hunter, and can he find the courage to do what his heart wishes?


Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Julie: My daughter and I went to see the film Inception when it first came out, and a little voice in my head started talking to me, telling me that Leonardo di Caprio is a vampire. By the time I got home, the characters had names and the story was begun.


Cate: Love it when that happens. :) Anything else you’d like to share?
Julie: I’ve loved vampires for many years. One of my first crushes was on Barnabas Collins, of Dark Shadows. There is just something irresistible about them. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope the readers have as much fun reading it.


You can always find me at my blog, Full Moon Dreaming!


Cate: Julie has a giveaway!
Julie:  I’d like to give a copy of Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire to one of your readers, Cate. All you  have to do is comment, and tell me if you’ve ever wanted to tell a friend something you were afraid to say, and what. Don’t forget to leave your email address! I’ll declare a winner before Halloween!


Thanks for having me, Cate, and Happy Halloween!


Cate: Happy Halloween to you, Julie! Hope it’s spooktacular
Julie made me thirsty, so I searched for Halloween drinks and found one I think Julie might like - it's called Vampiro, from the Food Network, where you can find more creepy cocktails.
Ingredients
Hibiscus syrup:
·                     2 cups sugar
·                     2 cups water
·                     1/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers (see cook's note)
·                     2-inch piece fresh ginger, unpeeled and sliced
Cocktail:
·                     4 cups white tequila
·                     2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice, strained
·                     1 cup orangeliqueur, such as Triple Sec
·                     Cubed ice, as needed
·                     Thinly sliced lime, for garnish
Directions
For the syrup: Put the sugar, water, hibiscus flowers, and ginger in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep for 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate until chilled.
To make the cocktail: Combine the tequila, 2 cups of the hibiscus syrup, lime juice, and orange liqueur in a large pitcher. (The vampiro can be made up to this point a day ahead and refrigerated.)
To serve, fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice, add the some of the vampiro and shake until chilled. Strain and serve straight-up in a cocktail glass garnished with lime slices. Alternatively, serve over ice in a rocks glass. 

Cook's Note: Hibiscus flowers can be found in most Latin markets and is often labeled by its Jamaican name Sorrel.



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Halloween fun with Kelly Whitley

Cate: Please welcome Kelly to my special Halloween party! Kelly, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Kelly: Hello. Kelly here. I live in the Rocky Mountain West, along with more animals than people. I’m a vampire fan from way back—old Bela Lugosi movies, Anne Rice, and  Dark Shadows when it was a soap opera!
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween? Kelly: For years we had a big Halloween party. The best part was turning the barn into a haunted house.
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Kelly: The looks on the kids’ faces the first time they saw “witch’s brew,” dry ice in the punch bowl.
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Kelly: My old house had a rumor that someone had committed suicide in the attic. At night, sometimes it sounds like someone is walking around up there—creepy.
Cate: I am loving that so many people had weird experiences! What frightens you the most? Kelly: From a Halloween standpoint, zombies bother me. I value my brain!
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Kelly: No ghost tour—would love to go on one of the New Orleans tours some day. Never been ghost hunting—just seeing those reality TV shows is close enough for me.
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Kelly: Not a true recipe—a craft.  Mini pumpkins (the little orange gourds). Paint in metallic colors, decorate with colored metallic wire tentacles. Glue jiggly eyes on as desired. They make great centerpieces. Great to do at a party with kids and send home.
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Kelly: My latest release is Into the Red. It’s the story of a doctor who is a vampire, and his unexpected love interest. Lots of bad guys and intrigue, and my own take on how vampires came to be. You can find it at: Muse It Up Publishing
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Kelly: Here's the blurb: Human blood is an illicit and highly addictive drug--if you're a vampire. Known as Red, its side effects are insanity, and eventual death. A group of Red-addicted vampires known as Poisoners are killing women as part of an extortion plot involving a lost ancient vampiric tome, and they’re leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. The discovery of each new victim risks exposure of the entire vampire race to humans. Then one victim survives… Dr. Evan Nichols, oncologist and vampire, lives a monk-like existence, by his own choice, focusing on patient care and research to benefit his vampire brethren. It’s been twenty-five years since his world turned upside down—the night he lost his fiancee and discovered his hidden vampire heritage. Now his government has ordered him to take a mate—or they’ll choose one for him. It’s a horrible prospect, and one that might push him over the edge—until Fate throws him together with a human female. Wary of relationships, Tara West has poured her energies into work and inventing cutting edge climbing equipment. She doesn’t like the gorgeous Dr. Nichols, yet finds herself unaccountably drawn to him. When a crazed vampire attacks and poisons Tara, Evan rescues her. With time running out, he has to create an antidote to the poison before he loses his chance at love. In order to make the vaccine which might cure her, he has to find the bastards who poisoned her and take their venom—before they die of their addiction. If he doesn’t reach them in time, saving her will be impossible. Thus the journey begins—into the Red!
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme? Kelly: Working in the medical field, it occurred to me vampires could exist as an evolutionary offshoot of the human race—perfectly reasonable. The beginnings of a story came to me about a physician specializing in blood diseases who also happened to be a vampire, and had ambivalence about his situation. The vampires would live among humans. I wanted a way to survive that didn’t involve biting humans; in fact, I wanted humans to be off limits. The world built itself off these concepts.
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share? Kelly: I’d love to do a sequel—lots of notes for the individual stories of other characters in the book.
Cate: Kelly has a giveaway! Woo hoo! Kelly: Leave a comment with your email on this blog post. I’ll be choosing a random commenter to win an e-copy of Into the Red.
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Halloween fun with Lorrie Struiff

Cate: Yay, Lorrie Unites-Struiff agreed to be part of my special Halloween celebration. Lorrie, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Lorrie:  Thanks for the invite, Cate. This is one of my all time favorite blogs.
Well, I live near Pittsburgh, Pa. I love to entertain readers with my stories. I write across the genre board and just have fun with whatever pops into my head. There is a lot of space up there for popping.

Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?
Lorrie: Taking my grandchildren out trick or treating. I get to share the treats.

Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?Lorrie: Yes, but it’s a baaaaad one. Nope, not telling.
Okay, you win. I lived in a very rural area when I was a kid. One main road. Ahem, we filled a purse with (use your imagination) and put it under a streetlight. We hid and watched the sparse traffic, or the cars that stopped to pick up the purse, the person put their hand inside –because it was dark- and made the funniest/naughtiest, comments I had ever heard. Phew. When they threw the purse away, we’d retrieve it and do it all over again. Bad, bad, bad. I’m sorry car stoppers. *sob* I was such a brat.

Cate: Oo, you were bad! Wish I'd have been there, lol Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?Lorrie: Yes. I get, I guess you’d call them vibes at times. Strong feelings. How do I explain? One time these vibes saved me from a horrible wreck just by me pulling over to the side of the road. A few times I knew, just knew when someone died. Honestly, they creep me out. Some are good, some not so good.

Cate: Glad your vibe saved you from a wreck! What frightens you the most?
Lorrie: Elevators, backseat of a two-door car, a small ladies room without windows. Can you tell I’m a horrible claustrophobic?  And going to a morgue scares me.

Cate: *shudders* Definitely can relate. Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?Lorrie: Nope. I’m chicken.

Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.Lorrie: The Call on the Dead Club series. Or COD Club on Bookstogonow, and Amazon.
Talk about a spook-speaker, Winnie’s your gal.

Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Lorrie:  Two stories in one buy, this is from # 2 Going in Style
 I read the notes. Jack Daniels, AKA, Double Shot, and his two unidentified buddies, had pulled four bank robberies in the last couple of months in two states. They’d stolen over a million bucks. Double Shot tripped off a curb during the last heist and fell onto the street. Then the getaway driver made a pancake out of him in his hurry to flee the scene.
 “Well,” I glanced up, “it’s not like I can beat a confession out of his dead body, so what do you need?”
Maxwell rolled his eyes heavenward. “Do your so-called… thing. If it’s true.” He leaned his elbows on the desk. “We need to recover the cash and get Daniels to give up his buddies.

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?Lorrie: I thought it would be neat to write a comedy series about an older, spunky, smart- mouthed woman who always gets into trouble. But, I think all ages will take to it. Think of  comic “Murder She Wrote.” Winnie is quite the character.

Cate: Can't wait to read her. :) Anything else you’d like to share?Lorrie: Also have a book just released by Museitup. A Heap of Trouble. Romance/western/comedy/adventure.
Pop over to see my other stories at http://struiff.wordpress.com/
I’d love to hear from you.

Cate: Guys, you're in luck. Lorrie's agreed to give away her two short stories, both published with Bookstogonow:- Wild Blackberries, a paranormal
- The Last Dance, about young love gone awry.Don't forget your email address in your comment!
Thanks for sharing in the Halloween fun, Lorrie!



Because Lorrie's so sweet, it reminded me of a yummy recipe perfect for the occasion.
Pumpkin Dip
A super easy, super tasty recipe that’s super cute when served up in a small hollowed-out pumpkin.


Ingredients
1 8- ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate


Directions
Blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange juice until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving.
Makes 4 cups.


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Halloween fun with Victoria Ley

Cate: Please welcome Tory to my special Halloween celebration. Tory, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Tory: Hi, Cate! I am a dark fantasy writer, and I live in the south of England. I’m crazy about horror, and so Halloween is definitely my favourite holiday.
Cate: It ranks right up there with Christmas, doesn't it? What do you love most about Halloween? Tory: The energy surrounding it. People make far much more of an effort with their costumes at Halloween than they ever would for other holidays, probably because it’s more fun, and more people like to get involved. I also love monsters and ghouls, and the randomness of walking down the street and into a zombie kinda pleases me!
Cate: I agree, it's great having Fantasyland for an evening. Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Tory: My friend Amy holds the town’s biggest Halloween party, everybody flocks to her house. One year, two of her uncles got into a fight. Not a funny statement in itself, but as one was dressed as Yoda, and the other Uncle Fester, it was easily the funniest thing I have ever seen!
Cate: Would've made a hilarious video, I'm sure! Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Tory: I have actually. Recently, I've been waking up feeling like somebody’s woken me, like they’ve been shaking me awake. It’s happened probably five times in the last month. And I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve turned around because I was sure I heard my name called. Although this is in my house, and I live alone.
Cate: Yikes! How spooky. What frightens you the most? Tory: Hmm. I’m not sure! I’m not easy to scare. I love the dark, not bothered by ghosts, and I think the zombie apocalypse will be an eye-opening experience. If I had to pick something though, I’d say being chased. I cannot stand slasher films where the killers walk after their prey. How rubbish is that? Who’d be frightened of something which frankly, you could roll away from? No, they’re ridiculous. I'm far more nervous of the fiends that run at you like their lives depend on it. There’s a desperation there to catch you, and that really gets my blood pumping.
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Tory: I did! I was once involved in an overnight investigation with around twenty other people. We were in an old, dilapidated mansion in the middle of the English countryside. It was a very unusual night, and many things happened that was hard to rationalise later on. And I tried to. Also, randomly, I once filmed a re-enactment piece for an episode of Ghost Hunters! That kinda counts, right?
Cate: Too cool! That sounds like fun. Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Tory: Not a recipe, but if you're bored of carving pumpkins, you can make a water melon brain. I like it because it’s easy; You peel the water melon, then carve through the light green pulp in little channels so that it looks like a big, juicy brain!
Cate: Oh, I love it. Thanks for the great pic. Please tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Tory: My book is the first in the supernatural series Darkseed, and is called Darkseed: Awakening. It’s a teen horror series, and involves ghosts, magic, and occult stuff. The feedback I'm consistently getting is that it is “actually really creepy”, so if you like things that have you looking over your shoulder and searching the shadows for ‘things’, then you’ll probably like it.   It’s available from my publisher MuseItUp Publishing, but I recommend first downloading the free sample on Amazon. You’ll get the idea from the first few chapters as to whether you’ll enjoy it
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Tory: Sarah Walton hasn’t had a great year. First, her parents divorced and she had to move out of the only home she has ever known; her uncle is unwell with a serious illness, and on top of all this, she is studying hard for her end of school exams. And then there's the ghost in Sarah's bedroom. The one who is desperateto get her attention…
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme? Tory: I love the supernatural. I’ve always been fascinated by other-worldly experiences and ideas. I find spirits, mediums, Ouija boards and magic all compelling subjects, and the Darkseed books are really there for me to explore them all.
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share? Tory: I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween, and I’d love to see photos! Post a picture on my wall at www.facebook.com/DarkseedAwakeningor tweet them to me @toriley by November 5th, and my favourites will get a free eCopy of the book.  Thank you for spending time with me today, Cate! Happy Halloween! Cate: What a neat idea!Thanks for being part of the Halloween fun, Tory! Tory got me in the mood for superstitions associated with Halloween. These are some of the spookier superstitions and beliefs about death:

According to an old saying, if a candle's flame goes out on Halloween, then a ghost is visiting you.

If you see a spider on Halloween, it could be the spirit of a dead loved one looking out for you.

Ancients believed ghosts could be weighed down, so used tombstones to keep them in place.

Because some believed spirits could only travel in a straight line, mazes found at the entrance to many ancient tombs may have been intended to keep the spirit of the dead from returning to the world.

Some people believed that a person's soul remained for 24 hours after death. Members of the family, or friends of the deceased, often sat with the body of their loved one to prevent the devil from stealing the soul.

If a dead person’s eyes are left open, he’ll find someone to take with him.

If you touch a loved one who has died, you won’t dream about them.

If you look at your shadow in the moonlight on All Hallows Eve, death will find you.

Thunder following a funeral means that the dead person's soul has reached heaven.

If you see an owl diving on Halloween night, it's coming to take your soul away.


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Arlene Webb's Druidic style Halloween fun!

Cate: Please welcome Arlene Webb to my special Halloween celebration. Arlene, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Arlene: Sci-fi, paranormal, suspense, all with either a lot or a splash of romance, I love the many great authors I’ve gotten to know as well as losing myself in my own worlds.
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween? Arlene: Excited little kids, pumpkins, candy, fall leaves, pretty much all of it.
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Arlene: My son was four and we were visiting friends out of state. He thought everyone in Tucson, Az gave out candy if you knocked on the door. He went sneaking off to the neighbors the next couple days to ring doorbells.
Cate: Ha! Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Arlene: Pretty much every day when I roll out of bed and look in the mirror.
Cate: What frightens you the most? Arlene: Give me spiders, snakes, mice, heights, flying, all those over bridges with crisscross overhead beams and I get panic attacks being in clear water if I can’t touch bottom. I’m fine if I can’t see through the water and don’t know I can’t touch solid earth. I’m not normal. Obviously.
Cate: Oh yeah, I panic just thinking about bottomless water! Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Arlene: I’m sooo boring. Sigh. No.
Cate: I don't believe that for a second! And come to Gettysburg, I'll take you on a ghost tour. :)Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Arlene: Er…I see hollowed out apples on Facebook with ice cream in them, caramel on top and they look so good I’m almost tempted to see if I can figure out how to bake an apple.
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Arlene: Harey is the honest to God (I’m lying) true story of the man behind the myth of Easter. A love story (ménage) but more than that, it’s an accounting of medieval times filled with religious turmoil and how sacrifice, betrayal and ultimately love is stronger than anything else. Available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009BXO4TA and Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=622&osCsid=fn1t2827gtaleqoiqt44entec0
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Arlene: Yes. Thanks. Gwas can outrun a horse, knows how to hide and steal, but is ignorant of the ways of men. The last thing he expects when he is rescued from a miserable existence by a blue-eyed, blond haired angel is to be promised as a Druidic sacrifice to Eostre. Unfortunately, the only direction Gwas wishes to flee is straight into the arms and knife of his savior, Gareth. Maura knows Gareth is no angel, but she adores him with a passion that time and loneliness cannot dent. When he rides in carrying an injured lad who fears her on sight, she is drawn to open her heart to the abused orphan as well. Gareth is caught between his liege lord and brother’s fist, and an emotional dilemma that grows harder and harder to deny with every passing season. If he must defy man and gods in order to embrace his heart’s desires, so be it. When the clash of old and new religions puts lives in peril, ultimate sacrifice bears witness to enduring love. Winter gives way to spring, and the evolution of a colorful myth spreads across the land.
Excerpt: I am no angel.Gareth’s shoulders slammed into the ground. A heavy body covered him, and the adrenalin jolting through him made him feel like a powerful animal. But I am in heaven. He tugged his arms free, wrapped them around Harey and grasped the back of Harey’s head. And I do not care if adulterous sodomites go to hell. He jerked him upward and took his lips. No time for tender exploration. He had to show Harey who he belonged to, and it was not some bloodthirsty deity, or the daughter of a mass murderer. What if Aethelfrith, the devil who had ordered one thousand, one hundred and sixty-five men killed so they could not pray against him, had still lived? Harey would have walked into his knife with a smile, a pet hare, and promises of painted eggs. I will not let this man leave me again. Never. Not ever. He’s mine. Gareth fought back his moan and deepened his kiss. Harey tasted Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme? Arlene: A submission call for an Easter story and I got hung up on something I found that shocked me while researching, and a short story turned into a novel. I was honored to try and give a voice to the fallen. My first historical romance and it was so fun to write because Harey really came to life for me.
Cate: Very cool. Anything else you’d like to share? Arlene: A big thank you to my host, Cate Masters.
Cate: Love having you anytime, Arlene. :) Woo hoo, guys - Arlene has a giveaway! Arlene: I’ll give an ebook copy of Harey to a commenter.
Cate: Such a great treat! I've read all but Harey and highly recommend all of Arlene's reads. Thanks for sharing in the fun, Arlene. Arlene may claim to be no Martha Stewart, but I don't believe that either. Still, we'll turn to Martha herself for some ghoulishly good drinks - Bubbling Cocktails. Cheers on your latest release, Arlene!
Test friends' courage with this green experiment turned fizzy drink. The beverages (actually kiwi-based refreshers) look pleasingly poisonous in any glass, but chemistry flasks -- available online from lab suppliers for a few dollars apiece -- suit them best.1. In a glass measuring cup, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved; refrigerate until cool.2. Puree 2 cups packed mint leaves (1 small bunch) with 1/4 cup cooled syrup in a blender. Add 6 peeled, quartered kiwis, and blend until just smooth. Add remaining syrup.3. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined fine sieve into a pitcher; discard solids. Stir in ice and 1 liter sparkling water or club soda. (For a cocktail version, add 1 cup vodka.) Pour into flasks, and serve with straws. Makes 8 drinks.
Check out more ghoulish goodies on Martha’s site http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/halloween-cakes-and-dessert-recipes  


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Banned Books Week winner and ghost tour pics

Thanks to everyone who commented on the Banned Books Week post! It's great so many supported this important event.

Now, for the giveaway.... the $10 gift card to Amazon/Barnes and Noble goes to Kitty!

Congrats, Kitty! I will email you, and I hope you enjoy reading a banned book!

Now, for some pics from last night's Ghosts of New York Walking Tour. Not so spooky, though. Unfortunately, no spirits decided to join our walking tour of the East Village in New York City. We did learn some cool history, though! Below is a very bad photo of our guide, who was wonderful, standing in front of Peter Stuyvesant's grave vault.

Much of the tour centered around Peter Stuyvesant, who helped colonize the area in the days when it was known as New Amsterdam, not New York. We began our tour at St. Mark's Church, where Stuyvesant's ghost pops in now and again. Below is the best photo of the bunch - the bell from the tower of St. Mark's, which the ghost of Peter Stuyvesant was said to have rung when the church was locked. The rectangular slabs of stone are actually graves of Peter's family.


Here's part of the courtyard leading to the church rectory, where Peter surprised the caretaker a few times.

We also visited the haunted former home of one of Peter's relatives, a bar where Houdini was said to have frequented, and the apartment where Edgar Allen Poe supposedly wrote The Raven during his brief stay.

We were unable to go inside any buildings, unfortunately, but the chilly night lent a mysterious atmosphere to the walk. And luckily, it didn't rain. :)

Another week of Halloween fun begins tomorrow! I hope you'll visit.

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This weekend only - Soul for Sale for free!

Today's the first of four special treats this month! You can download Soul for Sale for free from Smashwords using the coupon code NJ82K
Soul for Sale is a fun novella set around Halloween, and was a 2011 EPIC finalist! Reviewers described it as “outstanding,” a “riveting read… I couldn’t stop until I hit the last page.”
Here's the blurb:
When Madelyn sells her soul on UBuy, she’s not ready for the hell that’s unleashed. All she really wants is to make a success of her art. But the gorgeous stranger who buys her soul for $666 asks her to perform a few tasks. Tests of her true worth, Madelyn thinks, as each brings her – and her cat Brutus – into greater danger. And closer to the frightening shadowy figure stalking her. On All Hallows Eve, her final test will open the gates of hell. Or is it heaven?
If you download a copy, I'd love for you to leave a review either on Smashwords, Amazon or Goodreads. Most of all, enjoy!
I'll be away this weekend, but will post the winner of the Banned Books Week gift card as soon as I can.
As befitting the season, I'm going on a ghost tour, in New York City's East Village! According to the description, we'll be going "in search of Peter Stuyvesant's ghostly friends such as Edgar Allan Poe, August Belmont, Joe Papp, Washington Irving, the Tredwell sisters of the Merchant House Museum, Samuel Clemens better known as Mark Twain, Harry Houdini, and many others." How cool would it be to run into one of those ghosts? I just hope Washington Irving doesn't send a headless horseback rider, lol. Hopefully I'll get some good photos to share with you.
Have a great weekend!
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Jessica E. Subject is here for some Halloween fun!

Cate: Please welcome Jessica Subject to my special Halloween celebration. Jessica, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Jessica: I am an author of romance, generally in the science fiction category, though I do write contemporary and paranormal. I am also a wife, and a mother of two wonderful children. I’m from Canada, and I do enjoy the snow in the winter, as long as I don’t have to shovel or drive anywhere.


Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?
Jessica: Being from Canada, Halloween is usually cold, and wet, though some years, it’s a beautiful night. I absolutely love seeing all of the neighborhood kids dressed up in their costumes. And now that my kids are old enough, I have fun dressing them up, too.

Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?
Jessica: When I was a child, we lived a few blocks away from Elm St. One year, we did go trick-or-treating there, and saw Freddy Krueger. I was old enough to not be scared, but my brother was a little frightened. Also, we used to watch Michael Jackson’s Thriller video on MuchMusic every Halloween.
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?
Jessica: Yes, there was one day, I was sitting on my bed, doing my homework (for high school). My mom’s cat (Endora) was sitting beside me. All of a sudden, another cat (I’m guessing) rushed into the room, and under my bed. Endora saw it, too, because we both jumped off the bed and looked under to see what it was. But there was nothing there. No other creature in my room. I’ve always assumed it was the spirit of a cat who used to live in that house.

Cate: Never name a cat Endora! lol What frightens you the most?
Jessica: If you can believe it, I used to be afraid of aliens, which is what I now write about. Now, I would say it’s simply being alone. The forever kind, not just for a couple hours. I actually enjoy that.

Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?
Jessica: No, I haven’t, but when my dad used to work at a church, that place was haunted enough I didn’t need to look anywhere else. No, not during a service, but when there were only a few of the staff there, the ghosts would come out to play. And the jail across the street from that church is haunted, too. Oh, and did I mention that these buildings are located near the public library, the courthouse, and my old high school. Yeah, no need to go looking. It was all right there.

Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share?
Jessica: Kraft has a yummy recipe for Bats & Bones Brownie Pizza here.
Cate: Sounds yummy! Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.
Jessica: My latest paranormal release is The Power of Three. It’s about a man name Oscar whose spirit was sent from another dimension to our world, and is trapped in the gargoyle statues of a young couple. When they set him free, he must convince them to send him home. The Power of Three is a very short erotica story, that is sure to heat up a cold night.

Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Jessica: Since The Power of Three is erotica, I’ve had to edit this excerpt. Enjoy! 

Oscar’s heart raced, the man’s fingers achingly close to him. He needed out of the statue. Now.

“I don’t complain about the model airplanes all over the house, including this spaceship looking one that’s suspended above our bed, do I?” Stepping back, she settled her hands on her hips.
The view? Perfection.

“That Stealth Bomber is worth more than your silly statues and doesn’t cause concussions.”

She rolled her eyes and lunged. “Really, because I could’ve sworn you hit your head on it the other day when we were making the bed. Now, give him here, please.”

“You don’t care that this thing hurt me, do you?”

“Maybe he’s jealous that you were getting some and he wasn’t.”

Ain’t that the truth.

Bo glared at her. “So not funny."

Did she know he was really in there? Could she feel him watching her, wanting her?
Bo lowered him to her palm, but didn’t let go. “You and your creatures.”
She leaned forward and kissed the bump on his head, rubbing across Oscar. “But you love me anyway.”

And then a loud crack filled the air. Light surrounded him and he was falling.

As if being sucked out of the stone, Oscar sprang from his prison and landed on the floor on hands and knees. Taking a deep, refreshing breath, he stood and stretched his arms high into the air in all his glory. Being confined to such a small space had left him stiff, and not in a good way.

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Jessica: This story was inspired by a conversation with a good friend of mine. I had one of those A-HA moments where I thought, “Hey, that would make a great story.” So, I wrote it.

Cate: Anything else you’d like to share?
Jessica: Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your Halloween event, Cate! And I wish everyone a very haunting and safe Halloween! :)

Cate: The same to you, Jessica! And yay, Jessica has a giveaway!
Jessica: Leave a comment telling me about your most memorable Halloween for your chance to WIN an ebook copy of The Power of Three (18 & over only, please). Winner will be chosen October 8, 2012. Good luck!
Cate: Jessica got me to thinking about numbers, and related superstitions. Oh, there are so many! I love her book title, The Power of Three. Did you realize three is supposed to be the number of completion? (And kudos to Jessica for expanding on that, lol)

Did you know that Halloween is actually three distinct celebrations - the eve of All Saints Day, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. Collectively, they're called Hallowmas. 

To ward off evil on Halloween you should walk around your home three times clockwise and three times counterclockwise.

You'll have bad luck if, on Halloween, you hear three hoots of an owl, or hear a rooster crow at night. 

But, if you sneeze three times before breakfast on Halloween, it means good luck.

If a bat flies around your house three times on Halloweenm, it's a death omen.

Okay, so enough cheer for one post! :) Watch for a special treat from me this weekend!





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Nicole Zoltack's stirring up some Halloween fun!

Cate: Please help me welcome Nicole Zoltack to my special Halloween celebration. Nicole, please tell us a little bit about yourself.Nicole: Well, I have a wonderful husband and three young boys (almost 4, 2, and 7 months-the youngest is crawling already, I'm in so much trouble!) I love writing and reading, especially fantasy/paranormal, and now I'm choosing spookier stories to read, of course!
Cate: Whew! You are in trouble! :) What do you love most about Halloween?Nicole: I love the creativity of costumes, the chance to pretend to be something I'm not. Which is probably a reason why I love to write!
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?Nicole: Honestly, I think this Halloween will probably be my favorite since it'll be the first time we'll take the boys trick-or-treating. :)
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?Nicole: Yes, exactly. Several times before bed during college, I was trying to fall asleep and so had my eyes closed. I could feel a presence in the room but was too terrified to open my eyes. My body would then start to tremble uncontrollably--I couldn't stop my limbs from shaking. It only lasted for about fifteen seconds, but it happened enough times that I know it was something real--as if my body knew more than my mind that something evil was in the room with me. It freaked me out each time.
Cate: How frightening! But what frightens you the most?Nicole: I'm most scared of dying, actually. But the idea of creatures of the night is pretty scary too!
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?Nicole: No, but I did go on a vampire tour in New Orleans. That was fun, to walk around late at night and see different buildings were vampiric-like crimes had happened.
Cate: Very cool! Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share?Nicole: Witches' Eyeballs. Simple enough to make, all you need are 2 11-ounce bags of white chocolate chips, 12 doughnut holes, semisweet chocolate chips, and a tube of red frosting. Melt the white chocolate chips over low heat. Spear each doughnut hole with a fork and submerge it into the melted chocolate. Coat it, then tap off the excess. Cut off the point of a semisweet chocolate chip and stick the cut side into each doughnut hole to make the pupil. Allow the chocolate coating to harden. Use the red frosting to add squiggly veins.
Cate: Love it! Thanks for sharing. :) Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.Nicole: Well, Woman of Honor is available in print format now (through me, through Amazon soon!) but I'll share a more appropriate story for Halloween. Seeing for the First Time is the story of a girl named Ana whose summer is about to become a lot more dangerous when she discovers that she can see a creature that no one else can see. Seeing for the First Time is available through all digital stores including Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Seeing-First-Time-What-ebook/dp/B004R1Q4XA/ref=la_B00304YARW_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1348873731&sr=1-7
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?Nicole: Ana ran into the cottage and changed into a T-shirt and jeans. She stood at the back screen door, wrestling her long curly blonde hair into a ponytail when she saw small red, purple, and blue lights flying around her Gram.Ana rubbed her eyes and looked again. The lights were still there.She gulped. Maybe being crazy ran in the family.Ana opened the door and slowly walked over to Gram.Gram looked up. "Is something wrong, dear?"Ana shook her head.Gram pushed back on her thighs. "Your face says differently. If you really want to go to the beach that badly, go ahead."A small red speck landed on Gram's hand. Ana stared at it, afraid to speak, not wanting to draw attention to her craziness."Oh," Gram said with understanding in her soft voice. Her face broke into a wide smile that eased many wrinkles. "You can see the fairies, too."Ana shook her head again. "N-no.""Now don't be shy, my dear. I'm so glad to be able to introduce you to my friends. This is Arianna." Gram held up her hand, still holding the red light.Ana stared. She couldn't see a fairy. "I only see red light," she whispered.Gram frowned at the red light in her hand. "What's that, Arianna? Oh, I see." She glanced up at Ana. "Ana, you aren't a fairy seer after all.""A fairy seer?" Ana sat next to her Gram, enthralled. Gram hasn't been talking to herself all these years; she's been talking to fairies! A purple light speck floated over and landed on Ana's lap."Yes. Friends of the fairies. You see, Ana, there is a whole other world within our own, but only precious few know of it. Our family has a proud tradition of seeing beyond the veiled mist that separates our worlds.""Our family? You mean mom and dad, too?""Why, yes. They aren't in Europe for a vacation as they told you. A band of suspicious animal attacks in England and Ireland have them suspecting werewolves."Ana gasped. The purple light crept toward her hand and landed in her palm. She could feel strange energy, magic, and it both excited and scared her. "Werewolves? Why are mom and dad going up against werewolves?""Seers can typically only see one creature. Mine is fairies. Your parents see werewolves. We don't know what you'll see yet." Gram clapped her hands. "I have waited so long for this day! I so hope it's a peaceful creature like dryads or unicorns."
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?Nicole: Since not everyone believes in creatures of the night, I started to think about what it would be like if there was a world in which only certain people saw them. And I swear I wrote this story before Grimm was aired! lol
Cate: I love that show! :) Anything else you’d like to share?Nicole: Halloween is a great time to have fun, but be safe too!
Cate: Woo hoo, Nicole has a giveaway!Nicole: To win a PDF copy of Seeing for the First Time, leave a comment with your email address and a Halloween costume--one you've worn in the past, what you're going to wear this time, what you would love to dress up as one year.
Cate: Fun! Thanks so much for sharing in the Halloween fun, Nicole!Here's a spooky story, supposedly for kids but it scared the bejeebies out of me, lol


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