Starlight Saturday

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Rachel Caine!!!

Vampires and vampire slayers are something that will, thanks to Joss Whedon and a few others, have a special place in people's hearts. Unlike Buffy, the popular blonde cheerleader who had no clue she was born a vampire slayer until her watcher found her and was killed by vampires in front of her. It is only then, when she moves from LA to Sunnydale, that the rumors about her burning down her school and all that surface causing her to downfall from the popular group to weird chick. Unlike Buffy, Claire of Morganville is already deeply sunk into the weird chick status, considering how she is in college at the young age of 16 (almost 17), basically a brain.

Claire's young age and physical build make her an easy target for Monica and her, "clan." Even though people feel sorry for Claire, they don't feel sorry enough to go against Monica, or want to incur Monica's wrath, so Claire is pretty much on her own. Battered and bruised from being shoved down the stairs by Monica and lucky she didn't break her neck, Claire heads off campus to live. Claire knows that if she stays in her dorm any longer, she won't have any clothes left because Monica will probably burn what little bit she hadn't thrown into the garbage and that Monica will eventually kill her, especially since Claire had hit Monica in her beloved face. No one hits Monica and lives.

Buffy had her own Scooby gang, so why shouldn't Claire? Well, she does get her own form of the Scooby gang when she moves into the Glass House. She chooses Glass House because it's off campus and nowhere near Monica and it was affordable enough. It's here she meets Michael, Eve and Shane.

Want to know more?

Ha, you'll have to read the books! (Yes, I'm evil that way, I know!)

Now let's get to our interview with Rachel Caine:

Let’s start with some trivia about you:

ME: Do you have a movie that you must watch every Halloween? What's your favorite scary movie? Do you have a favorite scary character or character type?

RACHEL: Hmmm, probably my favorite scary movie of all time is "The Ring." Or, if I'm in the mood for more of a classic, "The Haunting of Hill House." As far as favorite scary characters, actually not so much, although Pinhead comes close ...

ME: Do you have any Halloween traditions like decorating your house, having house parties, wearing costumes, etc.?

RACHEL: To be honest, I'm usually VERY busy at Halloween doing signings, lectures, travel, etc., so I don't get much of a chance to decorate my home, which is too bad because I love it. But I do love to do the costume thing!

ME: If you do you dress up for Halloween, what will you be dressed up as this year? What was your all-time most favorite costume that you ever wore? Why?

RACHEL: I think I'll probably be doing steampunk this year, since I have some faboo shoes and a new fancy hat. But I think my all-time favorite was when I went to a geeky classical musician party (which was AWESOME) and everyone dressed as their favorite classical composition. I was one of the three Fountains of Rome. I had a gigantic molded fountain on my head, spilling out silver and blue shiny tinsel. It was GREAT! (Our three dates came as the three Pines of Rome. Hee.)

ME: Are you superstitious? Do you find yourself knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder? If not one of these two, what is your superstition?

RACHEL: I'm not at all superstitious. Never have been, weirdly enough.

ME: Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever had a ghostly encounter and tell us about it?

RACHEL: Not actually sure I believe in ghosts, but I do believe that there are senses we don't understand. My personal story is fairly standard -- I decided, without any particular reason, to pick up and drive from Dallas to El Paso for Thanksgiving one year, because I had a bad feeling. It's an extremely long drive, and I started after work, so I drove all through the night. Around 6 am I suddenly felt a relief of pressure, and this sense that it was all going to be okay, and I should just stop, pull over, and sleep for a while. So I did. I got into town to discover that my father -- whom I didn't know was ill -- had passed away around the same time that I felt I could stop and sleep.

It was like he was telling me, "Don't rush, everything's fine, be safe."

ME: Tell us 3 funny or strange things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Halloweens.

RACHEL: A friend came to pick me up for a party once. I was standing in the doorway talking to my roommate, with my back to the parking lot; he reached in and grabbed me to scare me.

I slammed the door on his arms. That was funny in retrospect, not so much when he was screaming in pain. But hey, I have good reflexes!

Second one probably would be turning a corner while at a downtown party and finding my ex-fiance on a date with someone else.

Third -- hmm, probably sitting in the airport on a layover from Europe, jet-lagged, and realizing that the reason people looked so strange was that it was Halloween, and all the flight attendants were wearing their costumes. It actually took me a while to figure it out!

ME: If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

RACHEL: I'd definitely be a Djinn (genie). It's sort of like being an angel, with a wicked sense of humor and a grudge.

Now, let’s get to your writing:

ME: Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

RACHEL: I like to write about things that interest me personally, and the paranormal has always seemed to work its way into my fiction. I've only done one or two stories in my entire life that didn't have SOME paranormal component. Even the Harlequin books I did (for Bombshell and Athena Force) contained some paranormal elements. I think writing the real world is interesting, but complicating it with the paranormal is extra fascinating.

ME: If you could describe your paranormal writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and look beyond words like vampire, werewolf, etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

RACHEL: I have to break it into two categories:

For the YA books: Peer pressure sucks ... and so do vampires.
For the Weather Warden/Outcast Season books: You'll never watch the Weather Channel the same way again (thanks, Jim Butcher!)

ME: Do you prefer playing tricks on people or bestowing treats? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

RACHEL: I like treats, personally. But I think I'm all about the tricks in my writing -- lots of puzzles, challenges, unexpected twists.

ME: Who decides what creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one stirring the cauldron?

RACHEL: I'm the one in the driver's seat (or at least my subconscious is) but my muse throws in the twists and complications.

ME: What was the creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

RACHEL: I think "creature" may be too unkind a term, but it was probably the (vampire) character of Myrnin in the Morganville Vampires series.

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why? Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

RACHEL: Hmmm, I think I'd like to meet David from my Weather Warden series. Because ... yeah. He's very, very shiny. And actually kind of a good guy, for a Djinn.

Never under any circumstances: probably the odious Yvette from the Weather Warden novels (Kevin's stepmonster). She was pretty awful.

A few bullet points about the series:

· We recently signed a deal for three more Morganville Vampires novels, which means there will be a total of 12 in the series
· Recent foreign publication sales (translations) to Poland, Hungary, Germany, Russia, France, Spain, UK, Italy, Turkey, Czech Republic
· Also available on Kindle and in ebook formats
· Also available as audiobooks, read by Cynthia Holloway
· New York Times and USA Today bestsellers

BLURB:

FADE OUT:
Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again...

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve's castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger-and way more dangerous-than anyone suspected.

EXCERPT:

Introduction

WELCOME TO MORGANVILLE. YOU’LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE..

So, you’re new to Morganville. Welcome, new resident! There are only a few important rules you need to know to feel comfortable in our quiet little town:

· obey the speed limits,
· don’t litter,
· whatever you do, don’t get on the bad side of the vampires.

Yeah, we said vampires. Deal with it.

As a human newcomer, you’ll need to find yourself a vampire Protector—someone willing to sign a contract to keep you and yours from harm (especially from the other vampires). In return, you’ll pay taxes . . . just like in any other town. Of course, in most other towns, those taxes don’t get collected by the bloodmobile.

Oh, and if you decide not to get a Protector, you can do that, too . . . but you’d better learn how to run fast, stay out of the shadows, and build a network of friends who can help you. Try contacting the residents of the Glass House—Michael, Eve, Shane, and Claire. They know their way around, even if they always end up in the middle of the trouble somehow.

Welcome to Morganville. You’ll never want to leave.

And even if you do . . . well, you can’t.

Sorry about that.

Rachel Caine - a perfect end to a lovely Paranormal October! 

Be sure to keep your eye out for the first omnibus for the Morganville Vampires containing Glass Houses and Dead Girls' Dance.  It has a really neat cover:

And, due out early 2010, Kiss of Death, Book 8 in the series

 

Enjoy the rest of your Halloween everyone!

PHANTASM FRIDAY

Tomorrow is Halloween. My eight year old is excited, I’m not sure if it’s the appeal of getting free candy—he’s a candy junkie—or becoming Rey Mysterio—his Halloween costume and his real life hero! If you’re unfamiliar with Rey Mysterio he’s a 5’3” WWE wrestler that my son worships. He cut his hair a couple of months back like Rey Mysterio—unmasked Rey, of course. LOL Here’s a photo of Rey Mysterio, so you’ll have some idea who’s going trick or treating with me tomorrow night!

I bit the bullet today and decided to participate in NanoWrimo. After all those edits for Elfin Blood, I’ve been a bit burned out and have had no motivation to write. So, I’m hoping Nano kicks my booty into writing action. I need something to kick my booty into writing mode. Are any of you participating in Nano this year?

But, in honor of Halloween, I’m going to talk about Haunted Houses…

*insert evil laugh*

Bwhahahaha….

We’ve all grown up with stories of haunted houses or haunted dormitories or haunted areas—something haunted anyway. The city I grew up in had a local legend about a bridge. If one went to it at night, the ghosts of those that had driven off the bridge would haunt the place. Personally, I went necking down there with my boyfriend and I didn’t see anything. Nope, nothing! So much for a legend, huh? Or maybe I was too consumed with kissing the boyfriend to notice any ghosts had they been haunting the place. =)

The term “haunted houses” brings to mind my personal experiences though. I grew up in a house that, while not necessarily haunted, it had a spirit of some sort living with us in perfect harmony. I often felt protected and loved by that spirit. I mentioned last week in my paranormal interview of seeing my great-grandfather. I do believe my great-grandfather haunts my father’s house, as I’ve seen his spirit more than once. The comparison between my great-grandfather and the spirit I grew up with startling. When I saw my great-grandfather the feeling was so intense, so vile and aggressive, and he wanted us gone. Or that was the way I interpreted it.



I have a girlfriend, Nicole, who bought a home with her husband. It was a beautiful piece of property, twenty-five acres, with an older fixer-up home. The home was so old it had a well built on the corner of the front porch. It was cool, a neat little piece of history. I can’t even imagine having to draw my water out of it just to meet the basic necessary needs. But after having kids I see the danger in it too. The place had oodles of potential and best of all it was away from the big city. It was so quiet and peaceful.

My first visit there, I came home telling my husband the place had a ghost. Everywhere I went, I felt like I was being watched. I never felt any hostility, but more curiosity. Daytime or nighttime, it didn’t matter, some unseen presence was watching. From inside the home to the shed in the backyard, something was always watching. The only time I could truly get away from the presence was when we would ride the four-wheelers across the back part of the property and woods.

I didn’t realize until we visited for a Halloween party a couple of months later that Nicole had purchased the home from an estate after the previous owner, an elderly woman, had passed away in it. It was like the light-bulb went off in my head—a smack my forehead V8 moment!—where I thought ‘that is why I’m feeling those hidden eyes’.

Another weekend I was there goofing off with Nicole and her mother, Jill, when Jill started talking about her conversations with the spirit of the woman who once owned the house! I got chills!! My eyes even watered! To have my feelings and thoughts confirmed was exciting. The only thing that would have made this haunted house perfect would have been for it to have a cemetery sitting on the property! LOL


I went home that night and told my husband about Jill knowing there was a ghost there too and couldn’t resist saying, “I told you so!” His reply was that I wasn’t the only crazy person in the world. ;-)

I’d love to hear your comments. And we’d love for you to come by the Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem Yahoo Group and tell us about your own "haunted house" experiences and stories! =)

Scary photo of the week…


I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! And a safe Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

All photos were taken from Photobucket and no copyright infringement was intended!

~~~~~

Sheila Deeth gave me the following review on my new book, Elfin Blood:

"An elf thief and vampire elf-kin, brooding mansions replete with gargoyles, and a snooty twenty-thousand-year-old king who thinks he calls the shots; Gracen Miller creates an interesting cast of characters in Elfin Blood, and fills their world with delightfully intriguing surprises.

The vampire leader’s more sex-lost than sex-addicted at the start, and Landau’s reawakening with Julija is portrayed in powerful detail. From dance-floor kiss to coffee-shop chaos, to… well, you get the picture… these two are surely “going to be a problem.”

Tortured alike by their bodies’ betrayal and lustful imaginings, the two protagonists simultaneously spend the first part of the book avoiding each other and seeking each other out. But all is revealed, in history, forest and bedroom, and elvish soul-blends demand far more than the locking of lips and eyes.

The writing rises above the occasional typo, pulling the reader into a perfect pooling of passion and desire. Very nicely done Gracen, and definitely not your granny’s or granddaughter’s romance."

TWILIGHT THURSDAY

~~~~~~

TAMELA QUIJAS CAPTURES THE BLOOD OF THE BEAST IN THE MOONLIGHT

~~~~~~

Please welcome Tamela Quijas into the Moonlight. Thanks so much for joining us today, Tamela. It’s a pleasure and an honor. Now, let’s get to the fun stuff, learning more about you and your books:

1. Do you have a movie that you must watch every Halloween? What's your favorite scary movie? Do you have a favorite scary character or character type?

I love the movie, Monster Squad, and watch it with the kids. My favorite scary movie would have to be the series, Rose Red—scared the daylights out of me. The thought of a house with an attitude of its own is astounding and more than just a bit creepy. My favorite scary character—Dracula!

2. Do you have any Halloween traditions like decorating your house, having house parties, wearing costumes, etc.?

We decorate the house and, while I take the little ones trick or treating. My husband and the older kids (in costume) pass out candy and scare the neighbors.



3. If you do you dress up for Halloween, what will you be dressed up as this year? What was your all-time most favorite costume that you ever wore? Why?

I stopped dressing up years ago. It's more fun to plan the decorations outside of the house and help the kids with their Halloween plans. Their excitement is worth every minute!

4. Are you superstitious? Do you find yourself knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder? If not one of these two, what is your superstition?

I was raised in a very superstitious country and I do believe! Yes, salt over the shoulder, knocking on wood and I even have a hex symbol hung by the door of my house to ward off the devil, as well as rosemary at the front and back gate.

5. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever had a ghostly encounter and tell us about it?

Ghosts! I believe in them 100%. A ghostly encounter?



I went to the movies with my DH a few years back and returned home around 11 pm. As I crawled into bed, out the corner of my eye, I saw a petite figure in white walk through the hallway. At first, I thought it was my youngest daughter, then realized she didn't have a floor length white nightgown. Chicken that I am, I jumped into bed and closed my eyes. The DH, who was nearby asked me if I had seen the same thing he had.

The following morning, my teenager (who would sleep on the couch out in the living room) told me how mad he was at his sister. When I asked why, he said that she had stood at the entry to the hallway and just stared at him until he told her to go back to bed. Then, he wanted to know where she got the white nightgown.

Very quietly, my daughter informed him she didn't have a white nightgown and never strayed from her bed that night.

6. Tell us 3 funny or strange things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Halloweens.

I have one that sticks out in my memory that still makes me laugh!

The DH does these fantastic layouts for Halloween in the yard. His favorite is to dress up in old clothes and have straw coming out of the sleeves and bottoms of his pants and he puts on a mask. As soon as it is dark, he sits out on a lawn chair like a stuffed Halloween figure. The trick is, when the kids come up for candy, he starts to twitch, making them scream and run.

A woman showed up with her baby in a stroller, trick or treating. He pulled the same routine, but the mother started screaming and ran off down the drive, leaving the baby behind. Here the husband was, dressed to scare the daylights out of someone, having to chase after her with her child.

7. If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

Oh, that's a hard one. I would love to be able to tap into a little of each creature because I love the combination of powers.

Now, let’s get to your writing:

8. Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

I love the unexplained and the mystical. The paranormal genre allows me to play with the questions of the darker side of the world and the shadows that may exist on the fringe of what we, as humans, term as acceptable.

9. If you could describe your paranormal writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and look beyond words like vampire, werewolf, etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

Come dance on the dark side of the moon is the phrase that I would use. I would like my readers to question what they believe and look beyond what they consider normal.

10. Do you prefer playing tricks on people or bestowing treats? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

No, I don't play tricks but I do enjoy bestowing treats. Life should be delicious and every moment savored.

11. Who decides what creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one stirring the cauldron?

Would you believe my muse? I have a delicious little imp that makes constant suggestions for my latest creature, sending ideas in a rampant little romp through my over active imagination.

12. What was the creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

Lucien D'Angel from Angel's Fire, Demon's Blood, was my favorite creature. I enjoyed creating him due to the fact that he is a 'soul gatherer', cursed to walk the earth and pay for crimes that were not of his making. Lucien gathers the souls of the dead that exist in the other realm of the world that is not visible to the human eye and he's tormented by the images he sees.

13. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why? Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

Oh, that's a hard one! I would love to meet Lucien, for the entire ghost hunting experience. Demetri Petronov, from Blood of the Beast, would be another—the intelligent conversation would be stimulating!

The one character I would never want to meet? Julian D'Angel, consummate evil in human form, with powers that rival the devil.

~~~~~

BLURB:

…There is a scent that fills the night, far more delicate than the beat of the human heart, more fragile than the whisper of breath that escapes the lungs. It is the scent of the blood that pulsates through the mortal body. Commonly overlooked by those among the living, it is a sound so fervently sought by those that reside on the fringes of the world that exists between the living and the undead.

It is what the beast craves…

Detective Valentina Kureyev had been assigned to one of the worst cases of the century. A serial killer haunted the streets, depositing bloodless corpses throughout the section of town known as Little Europe. She hadn't a clue to the identity of the culprit, as the appearance of more bodies had begun to cause terror and panic.

The case was hopeless.

The terror was real.

As real as Demetri Petronov.

The Professor of Russian Antiquities had been targeted with the murderer's special form of a calling card. Val couldn't turn away from his offer of aide in the bizarre case, even though he whispered tales of the beast feeding on human blood.

He was the primary suspect.

EXCERPT:

“I don't savor the hunt or the fresh kill, Valentina moya.” He assured her gently. Demetri lifted his large hand and used his forefinger to press at the soft flesh under her chin, effectively snapping her mouth shut. He continued to hold her jaw, the chill of his hand cupping the tender flesh. His heavily lidded attention bore deeply into her robin blue eyes, immediately recognizing that she was helplessly ensnared by his own unspoken power. “I don't relish what I am, Valentina, nor did I ask to be transformed into this creature of the night. If I could do everything over, I would have never permitted myself into the situation that cost me my soul.”
Val blinked up at him, unable to speak as he continued to stare at her. The fiery color had vanished from the whites of his eyes and the ever-comforting shade of amber revealed a profound sadness she hadn't expected. She quivered beneath his touch and, as his hand slid across the softness of her cheek, she exhaled a sigh filled with longing.

“There's only one thing about this eternal damnation I do enjoy, Detective Kureyev.” He continued, a seductive luminosity filling his gaze as his head bent toward her upturned face. His image filled her vision and her heart began to beat at a betraying double-quick tattoo. Val licked at her lips, her breasts rising and falling heavily with each strangled breath she struggled to take. “I can make you lower your stubborn defenses. I can look into your eyes and your entire body quivers with need for me. Some far part of you, buried deep inside that over analytical and cryptic mind, wonders how I would pleasure you.”

Blood of the Beast can be purchased at Amazon:
Kindle Format: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002GP7YMY/
Paperback Format: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Beast-Tamela-Quijas/dp/1442173351

~~~~~

Leave Tamela a comment and be entered for a chance to win an autographed copy of one of her books!

Wistful Wednesday

Hi all,

Since Margay seems busy with her books today, I thought I would take this opportunity to promote her Jane Austen Society Pages textnovel.com entry for her:

One

It is the observation of This Lady that a woman in want of a good reputation should not risk being found in a compromising position with a man who is not her husband. Take a certain Mrs. M, for instance. Not three hours following the renewal of her vows to Mr. M, she was seen renewing something else with a mystery man at least twelve years her junior. Tsk, tsk, Mrs. M. Are you so desperate to have a child that you’re raiding the nursery for your pleasure? One must wonder what Mr. M thinks of this behavior. Could he be regretting his decision to renew his vows? One can be certain that when the answer is found, This Lady will report it here forthwith. ~ The Jane Austen Society Pages


If there was one thing of which Athena Willoughby was certain, it was this: Left to their own devices, the dregs of society would ultimately discover a way to mess up their lives. And people like her would be there to obligingly record it. For what were the dregs but attention seekers and social wannabes who expected their antics to be reported in vivid detail for all to see? Why else would they frequent the popular clubs and restaurants, or cozy up to the truly status worthy, belittling themselves to perform whatever tasks were asked of them?
Why, indeed?
Athena gave her head a little shake and continued to input her observations into her Blackberry. Ah, technology, she thought. How wonderful to be able to sit here in a semi-dark club, log a story into a cell phone and upload it instantly onto the Internet. What did they do before they invented the Blackberry? She shuddered to think of the possibility.
“That’s it, Mrs. M,” she murmured as she typed. “Shake it for all it’s worth.” She glanced up at her mark to ascertain that she was, indeed, still cutting loose on the dance floor with her young companion. Oh, yeah, she thought with a giggle. She was. “How about a picture to go along with that story?” Angling the phone to achieve the best shot, she clicked the button, murmuring as if in answer of her own question, “’Why, of course, Lady Gossip. Don’t mind if I do. Anything for you. Just make sure you get my good side.’ Of course, Mrs. M. Nothing but.” She clicked a few more pictures “Or should I say butt? Nice assets for one your age, Mrs. M. Kudos to your trainer. Oh! That is your trainer.”
Could this night get any better? Her trainer! How perfectly pedestrian. Married to one of the most powerful men in Baystate politics and she was out cavorting with her much younger fitness instructor! Oh, this was delicious. So that marriage renewal was not the blissful event it was touted as. So what was it? A publicity stunt? Well, Mr. M was suffering in the polls lately Perhaps he needed a little pick-me-up to spruce up his image. And it would have worked, too, if it hadn’t been for Mrs. M answering the call of her baser nature.
Athena chuckled in delight as she accessed her online column to update the story. “Oh, Mrs. M,” she said, “you little cougar.”
But her mirth was cut short when she glanced up from her Blackberry and found herself staring into the disapproving face of the dean from her college, Gabriel Sommersby. What was he doing here? Athena wondered as she swallowed against the panic that dried out her throat. Oh, god, did he recognize her beneath her short black wig and bold makeup? Oh, this was not good. Not good at all.

Like it? Vote for The Jane Austen Society Pages here!

TWILIGHT TUESDAY

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AVA JAMES CREATES MISCHIEF IN THE MOONLIGHT

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Please welcome author, Ava James, into the Moonlight. Ava hails from the midwest and is the author of One Dark Knight, published by Siren-BookStrand, Inc., Royal Cargo and The Eagle at Midnight, both published by Freya's Bower, Once Cuffed, published by Excessica, and A Crone's Query, published by Wild Child Publishing. Visit Ava's website to learn more about her and her books.

Thanks so much for joining us today, Ava. It's a pleasure and an honor to have you with us! Now, let’s learn some trivia about you:

1. Do you have a movie that you must watch every Halloween? What's your favorite scary movie? Do you have a favorite scary character or character type?

Sleepy Hollow is a recent addition to my Halloween movie list, The Craft, and Practical Magic are favorites too. As far as scary movies go, the classics are the best—You can’t go wrong with Michael, Freddie real isn’t my type though—I prefer the strong, silent ones. You know, the ones who walk with a determined stride and always seem to catch up to the frantically running busty and lusty ladies.

2. Do you have any Halloween traditions like decorating your house, having house parties, wearing costumes, etc.?

I dress up my black, polydactyl cat, with white angel wings and a halo. He doesn’t enjoy it, but the neighborhood kids get a laugh when I open the door to hand out candy.

3. If you do dress up for Halloween, what will you be dressed up as this year? What was your all-time most favorite costume that you ever wore? Why?

A few years ago, my husband dressed as a knight and I as a courtesan. I had a full length plum gown and big period appropriate jewelry. I love the giant, teetering on gaudy jewels.

4. Are you superstitious? Do you find yourself knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder? If not one of these two, what is your superstition?

Superstitious? No. I walk under ladders and own a black cat.

5. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever had a ghostly encounter and tell us about it?

I do believe in ghosts. I think the supernatural is as real as you and I. They are like the wind, just because you can not always see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

6. Tell us 3 funny or strange things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Halloweens.

1. Four years ago, I was cuffed to a rod-iron bar stool at a Halloween Party.
2. My husband got his cape caught in a bike chair and subsequently ruined his costume at the same party in which I was cuffed to the bar stool.
3. And, at this very same party, a guest was handing out lubricant and condoms as part of his “costume.”

*It was one interesting party…

7. If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

Well, I would certainly want to be immortal. I think being a god would have its advantages. Vampirism does have its own appeal, but blood makes me queasy in real life, so I’ll pass. I’d welcome a werewolf into my bed, but as for me, I do not think I could deal with that much shaving—imagine the razor blades you go through!

Now, let’s learn more about your writing:

8. Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

The draw for me is the endless possibilities, the exploration of life beyond the norm. I find the occult and mythology fascinating.

9. If you could describe your paranormal writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and look beyond words like vampire, werewolf, etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

Memorable—that’d be a terrific response. I do not write to shock or frighten, but rather to instill the same curiosity that I share when approaching such.

10. Do you prefer playing tricks on people or bestowing treats? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

I bestow treats more than anything, but I have had a great deal of fun writing the trickster. There is something freeing in writing evil characters. I like to create characters that surprise the reader, like the crone in A Crone’s Query. She’s terrifying and yet likeable in her own grouchy way.

11. Who decides what creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one stirring the cauldron?

I would like to think that we have a collective agreement to write every story to the best of our ability be there a werewolf, a Bean Nighe, fae, or demons.

12. What was the creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

Hector, the werewolf from Royal Cargo, he is raw sexuality and adventure in the façade of a pirate.

13. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why? Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

The character that I would most like to meet is Llaw, my Celtic god from the story, The Eagle At Midnight. He has the most unique accent in the world and the ability to make any woman multi-orgasmic.

The character I’d least like to see in reality is Lady Tamlyn from my latest release, For One Dark Knight. The woman lacks a heart and a conscience. She’d slit your throat for a pint of ale.





I think this is adorable and I want to know where they got the costume—my bulldog would make a perfect Mr. Stay Puft!


Here’s what I’d be wearing while walking my Mini-Mr. Stay Puft pooch! Although, I’d wear a thigh-high boat instead.

To find me on the web, check out my blog and twitter.

Cheers,
Ava James
http://www.avajamesromance.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/AuthorAvaJames



For One Dark Knight

For more information on For One Dark Knight, visit http://www.bookstrand.com/product-foronedarkknight-14960-330.html.

BLURB:


Past the suitable age for marriage, Lady Isobel longs for her life to begin. When the chance to flee the clutches of her misery arises, she sets out on a journey to her dower lands and childhood home. But no road is without its perils, and she soon finds she needs someone by her side.

Sir Robert de Gever's duties become vastly more complicated when Lady Isobel stumbles into his life in need of rescue. Questions arise and secrets run deep, leaving desire and suspicion to war within him.


Intrigue awaits the pair, and conspirators abound. Is the bond of one dark night spent together strong enough to save them from their fears?


EXCERPT:

He wished he could keep her locked away—far, far away. The woman looked as though she were arming herself for battle. Her sweet smiles changed the instant the last of the men quit the room.


“What is the matter?” Isobel asked with a clipped tone.


“What is the matter?” Robert began his counterattack in falsetto.


“Where should I start? My men have all left their posts, and training, to come to the beck and call of the devilish temptress besieging Durham .” He watched her eyes grow wide as he spoke. How was it that even now, he could think of nothing but her lips?


“Devilish temptress? If I tempted any man, it was in no way intentional, and in every way a result of the man’s baser interests.” Isobel took a challenging step toward him. She accused him with her eyes and her words. "Furthermore, if it weren't for yer noble act of imprisonment, I would not be here!"


Robert stepped closer to her. Her feminine scent wafted into his nostrils. She easily broke his train of thought. The aroma that lingered about her intoxicated his senses. Beyond doubt, she was a foul temptress! With every attempt to ignore her, he failed miserably. Each time he was in her presence she distracted him. If it was not her beauty that caught his attention, it was her voice and words. The woman drew him in and he did not care to be so affected by her. He needed to reign in his thoughts and focus.


Focus, focus.


In a much calmer voice he said, “Would ye rather I left ye to be ravished by those Saxon mercenaries?” He took another step closer to her as he spoke. He watched her gaze fall to his lips. Her pink tongue crossed her own bottom lip, and a blush came to her soft cheeks. God’s wounds, he felt too much for this lady.


She drew away. “Ravished by those Saxons is not what I want.” Her voice weak, and unusually breathy, he wondered just who she’d like to be ravished by.


His own errant mind conjured up dangerous visions of her naked body slick against his own. He couldn’t help himself, so he asked just what he’d been wondering. “What do ye want?”

Mystic Monday

Please Welcome...

Crymsyn Hart

Q. Do you have a movie that you must watch every Halloween? What's your favorite scary movie? Do you have a favorite scary character or character type?

A. I don’t have a particular movie that I watch every Halloween only because I watch scary movies most of the time. They are my favorite. The scary movie that tops my list is Poltergeist. I think I watched it dozens of times as a child only because my father wanted me not to be scared of it. Well now I love it. Well if you mean from a movie, my favorite scary character has to be Freddy. Love Nightmare on Elmstreet. In general, I’m a vampire girl.

Q. Do you have any Halloween traditions like decorating your house, having house parties, wearing costumes, etc.?

A. No real traditions. I used to do séances with the job I was at being a medium and all, but I don’t do those anymore. Normally on Halloween I am with friends and we are handing out candy. No need to decorate my house because its pretty much decorated for Halloween all year round.

Q. If you do you dress up for Halloween, what will you be dressed up as this year? What was your all-time most favorite costume that you ever wore? Why?

A. I dress up all the time. But then again I have a pair of custom vampire fangs and a closet full of witchy attire that I wear. I normally don’t try to be anything else, but me and that includes the cloak and the fangs.

Q. Are you superstitious? Do you find yourself knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder? If not one of these two, what is your superstition?

A. I’m superstitious to a point, but I don’t knock on wood or throw salt over my shoulder. I just believe that you have to be careful about what you wish for because in my case I normally end up getting it within reason.

Q. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever had a ghostly encounter and tell us about it?

A. I definitely believe in ghosts. Being a medium I deal with them every day, but my own personal experiences run from encountering a ghost girl in my house when I was a teenager, to having something pull me across the bed, to hearing my name being called when there was no one home.

Q. Tell us 3 funny or strange things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Halloweens.

A. Two Halloweens ago my husband and I scared one of our friends to death when hubby popped up from behind a sofa and made her jump when she thought he was outside.

Last year we did a haunted porch with friends of ours and hubby was popping in and out of a coffin. The poor kids were scared to death to go inside.

Not sure on the third thing.

Q. If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

A. That is an easy question. I would be a vampire. I have a special place in my heart for them.

Now, let’s get to your writing:

Q. Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

A. Well I love paranormal because the paranormal has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I’ve always loved ghosts, vampires, and stuff that goes bump in the night. All my life I’ve been reading about vamps in the horror genre and I just graduated into paranormal.

Q. If you could describe your paranormal writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and look beyond words like vampire, werewolf, etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

A. Spine- tinglingly hot with fangs

Q. Do you prefer playing tricks on people or bestowing treats? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

A. I like bestowing treats. It shows up in my writing. I prefer to have characters get the goods out of life rather than be tricked all the time. I make them work for the treat, but in the end after going through hardships and trials they get there.

Q. Who decides what creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one stirring the cauldron?

A. If I had it my way, vampires all night. But it doesn’t work that way. The muse steps in at times and says time to do something else because I’m tired of neck sucking. Let’s do something else. I get influence most of the time. SO I say it’s 50/50 split until we start fighting over who gets the spoon. Then it can get hairy.

Q. What was the creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

A. The most fun I had was creating Azrael, the angel of death. He shows up randomly in a lot of my stuff. He’s such a great character because he’s a vampire, he’s an angel, and he’s also part demon, but he’s not like any other vampire because the strain he’s from have two personalities. The human and the demon. He is just himself. So he can either give or take life. He’s very complicated.

Q. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why? Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

A. I would want to meet Kalliope. She is fun and feisty and she seems to get into so much strange trouble. Along with having a naked god for a companion and a breast-obsessed bullfrog she has her hands full.

I would never want to meet Betha. She is the banshee queen from my Raven Saga books who is crazy and can kill you if she screams. She’s not the nicest of my characters not to mention she’s insane.

BLURB:

Tarnished Choices

Two amazing men have told Cassie she must choose. But what a choice she must make. Tristan, a sun kissed perfection with onyx eyes, has wooed Cassie and won her heart.

Daniel, pale as alabaster with blue eyes, has enticed her as well. Now, they want her to choose between them. How can she pick between the two beings she loves? Is she willing to pay the price for her choice, since these are not two ordinary suitors? One is a demon and the other an angel. If she picks one, she looses the other. If she doesn’t decide, her very soul is in jeopardy. Who will Cassie decide on? Is she willing to give up one for the other? Will she choose the angelic or the demonic?

Which one would you choose?

Tarnished Choices

Cassie longs for the touch of her angelic and demonic lovers. She has searched for them for many nights, but their caresses elude her. The longer they are gone, the more her two warring natures are taking over and driving her to seek out other ways to satisfy her hungers. Will she find the two to quench her growing lust, or will others warriors of heaven or hell descend upon her and heed her call?

EXCERPT:

Tarnished Choices

I wanted to kiss him. I desired to know if his lips felt like his hands, baby soft. I needed him to hold me and take away the ache in my heart starting to form because he would not wrap his arms around me. My need for him grew, and I wondered if it was because I had been influenced by the demon and maybe it was now my lot in life to attract angels and then corrupt them. Somehow, I thought it was funny. I was now some kind of Venus fly trap in search of angels to prey upon. And yet, when I gazed into the angel’s dark eyes, I needed to be sure I would not fall under his spell because my heart was already lost. I never believed in love at first sight until I met Daniel. It was easy to blame it on him being a demon and he had put a spell on me, but it was not the case; likewise not in this situation. Love was not an issue with this one. I had already fallen for the angel. My soul recognized him to be my kin, and yet, he was so beautiful I never wanted to look away, and I yearned for him to crush me to his chest and make love to me. Was I being selfish?

“So, I guess this whole mysterious thing, appearing out of nowhere, not telling me your name or why you’re here is a trademark and goes with the entire angel gig? Is it against the rules to kiss a girl, too?”

Tarnished Souls

His fingers trailed down my cheek and traced my lips. “You’re so beautiful. I noticed you were before, but now I see how much the angelic and demonic in you has molded you into another being. So perfect. Why do I see you in another light now? Why do I find you irresistible?”

“Because you’re becoming more human than you ever thought possible. I don’t know how to fix what I did to you. I’m sure there is a way, but—”

His lips covered mine again. He snapped his fingers. Air caressed my naked form. His fingers trailed down my belly. His tongue tasted my nipple and nibbled on it. Warmth and pure light moved through my mind. His thoughts pressed against mine. The lust in him was overpowering. My horns poked out of my forehead, and heat surfaced. I felt the fires of my own lust start to blaze through me. The demon in me knew what to do. My legs wrapped around his, and I was able to break his hold on me. I grabbed his hands in a cold, steel-hard hold and in a second we were falling. I didn’t know where we were going, but I knew the destination was a place I had been before. When we did land, Tristan was beneath me and I had him in restraints. A smile turned up on my lips; I had turned the tables on him.

********

Want to read more? Well, your just going to have to read the book! For a different excerpt, or to read more by Crymsyn, check out her website!!

SUPERNATURAL SUNDAY

~~~~~

JEN BLUEKISSED KISSES THE MOONLIGHT

~~~~~

Please help me welcome Jen Bluekissed into the Moonlight! Jen is a recent transplant to the Tennessee area from Iowa and aside from getting lost in a great story, Jen counts other favorite hobbies as word and strategy games.

Jen can be found at the following places on the web:

Ravenous Romance

Erotica Blog

Jen’s Blog

Twitter

Thanks for joining us today, Jen! It’s a pleasure to have you with us and an honor. Now, let’s learn a little bit about you and your books:

1. Do you have a movie that you must watch every Halloween? What's your favorite scary movie? Do you have a favorite scary character or character type?

My favorite scary movie is The Shining. I love psychological thrillers, especially those with a little paranormal twist. Though not a scary movie, I also love Nuns on the Run in which two bank robbers hide in a convent dressed as nuns. The movie I’ve watched most often on Halloween is The Exorcist. I first saw it as a young child, and when I asked my father for reassurance about the whole movie just being make believe, my father’s response freaked me out. He said, “No, people really do become possessed by the devil, so make sure you never do anything to make that happen.”

Did I mention I grew up in a very conservative Catholic home? The Exorcist still freaks me out, though I still love the film.

2. Do you have any Halloween traditions like decorating your house, having house parties, wearing costumes, etc.?

Other than gorging myself on leftover chocolate? I used to own a blonde wig with curls that were nearly five feet long. Other than Halloween, I used to wear the wig at random times while pretending to be Rapunzel. I moved a few years ago, and the wig was eaten by the moving truck. Either that, or my loved ones took it to an unnaturally early death and fibbed to me so I wouldn’t wear it anymore.

3. If you do you dress up for Halloween, what will you be dressed up as this year? What was your all-time most favorite costume that you ever wore? Why?

I’m dressing up as my alter-ego for Halloween. I like painting my lips blue. I also have a dress covered in lips. Jen Bluekissed is my pen name, and she’s a lot of fun when she goes out in public.
My all-time favorite costume for Halloween was the year I dressed up as an old woman. I was a freshman in high school when a friend and I went to St. Vincent de Paul and bought clothes that only the most uncoordinated of all elderly people would ever wear. It’s dark for a reason when we celebrate Halloween, right? I died my hair gray and used a cane. It was good for keeping people away from my goodies.

4. Are you superstitious? Do you find yourself knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder? If not one of these two, what is your superstition?

I’ve never been superstitious. When I studied in Spain, I was surprised to find out that Tuesday the 13th is considered bad luck.

I do believe evil spirits and ghosts exist. My biggest display of superstition regarding them is that I haven’t written about them. I get freaked out when I think about them getting angry with me. I hope to someday gather the courage to go there with my writing.

Vampires, werewolves, polytheistic gods, angels, leprechauns, etc. are all fair game, however.

5. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever had a ghostly encounter and tell us about it?

Absolutely. I almost have a cemetery in my back yard. I’m originally from Iowa. In Iowa, when selling property, one is required to disclose if there is anyone buried on the property. When I moved to Tennessee, my husband and I were surprised to learn that such disclosures aren’t required. We bought our property without knowing about the cemetery.

It’s around 200 years old and behind a stone wall. The headstones are only visible in winter after the trees have lost their leaves.

Since moving in, the house next door to us has had foundation problems and is cracked and sunk nearly a foot. The neighbors were joking about the ghosts in the cemetery when we first moved in. Within a month, their place was cracked enough that they could see light through their living room wall. I personally believe the spirits in the cemetery are the cause.

Also, when I was in seventh grade, I went into our basement to watch TV while my mom parked the car in our garage and then was going to shovel snow. I was in the basement for only five or ten minutes when I suddenly knew I had to go upstairs. I didn’t know why, and I even dismissed the feeling I had for a minute or two. The feeling grew so intense that I couldn’t stand being in the basement any longer.

When I finally went upstairs, I heard my mother screaming from outside. She accidentally left the car in drive while shoveling the driveway down a slight hill. The car rolled down the driveway and on top of her. She was pinned under the gas tank and ultimately survived. Had I stayed in the basement, I don’t think she would have fared as well.

6. Tell us 3 funny or strange things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Halloweens.

Full moons seem to be the days when more strange things happen to me. I was once locked out of my house three times on the same day coinciding with a full moon.

During a full moon, working in customer service also produces at lot of interesting customers. I used to work for a life insurance company in a call center, and would get calls from people who claimed the died and wanted to claim on their own life insurance.

I also used to be a teacher, and routinely held parent teacher conferences on Halloween. Some of the kids who were the biggest troublemakers in class would behave like angels on Halloween because their parents were due to see me later in the day.

7. If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

I’d be a leprechaun. They live to be old and are rich.

Now, let’s get to your writing:

8. Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

The draw for me is playing with reality. As long as the rules are consistent within my own work, I can make characters do things and behave in ways that are more interesting. I think to a certain degree that the paranormal genre is an escapist genre. When I’m writing about vampires, spirits, leprechauns, etc., I can forget the routine things that are a drag in real life such as my mortgage and chores.

I also enjoy playing with character’s struggle to be true to themselves or their partners/family/love interests within the paranormal genre. Having extraordinary powers brings a struggle to relate to other characters that crosses into what all of us can relate to: belonging, guarding secrets, and the journey of being the best and truest person we can all be.

9. If you could describe your paranormal writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and look beyond words like vampire, werewolf, etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

Unconventional while at the same time fun.

In “Steak Tartare,” which is included in the Women of the Bite Anthology edited by Cecilia Tan, a vampire falls in love with a misfit werewolf. The anthology is published by Ravenous Romance.
In one of my works in progress, the story preceding the nursery rhyme of the Woman who Lived in the Shoe, I tell the how and why of the woman and all the children lived in the shoe. The protagonist falls in love with a Leprechaun who has escaped from a shoe-making sweat shop. He has the ability to make objects large or small at will, so he builds a shoe for them to live in. The ability also explains how leprechauns are effective at hiding their gold. When it is tiny while underground, it is much harder to find.

The protagonist also is named after the Aztec god of sexual power. When she accidentally takes someone else’s fertility medication, her husband shrinks the babies within her womb and then makes them normal size after they’re born.

10. Do you prefer playing tricks on people or bestowing treats? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

I’m pretty gullible. My characters get themselves into strange situations and are tricked easily.

11. Who decides what creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one stirring the cauldron?

I make all the decisions, though the characters in my head won’t shut up until I let them have their say. Characters are persistent and good at nagging me.

12. What was the creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

I’m currently working on a fantasy series in which there are several races of shape shifters, polytheistic gods who show up quite often, and two different sects of priests who call upon the gods to mess with the other characters in their world.

The reason this one is the most fun is that my protagonist has to face the truth that she isn’t who she has been raised to believe she was. I like works in which characters struggle over identity issues.

13. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why? Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

I’d love to meet Itzli, the Chantico priest, from my work in progress because he is wise but very flawed. He calls upon various deities, and helps shape the heirs to the emperor’s throne. He also is in love with the emperor’s wife, so he’s in an impossible situation.

I’d never want to meet the Prince Raya from this same series. He’s got too much ego for me to avoid strangling him if I met him in real life.

BLURB:

The seductive power of the vampire meets female energy in Women of the Bite. These eleven stories of eternal love, dark avenging angels, and the eroticism of blood lust explore the female vampire and her sisters from all angles.

A young gypsy girl is saved from marauders by a mysterious spirit, but what price will be exacted for her rescue? Her blood, or her heart?

A young vampire runs into trouble in the New World and finds herself seeking the protection of her maker's wings back in Europe. Had her mistress always known she would return to the nest?

Silent film actress Theda Bara was known the world over as "The Vamp," but what happened when she was called upon to judge a beauty pageant of vampiresses from around the world?
What happens when a vampire and a werewolf are matched up by an online dating service? They both love steak tartare, but do they have enough in common beyond their mutual lust to find love as well?

Sink your teeth into these and many other stories of the lust and love of lesbian vampires.

Ebook ISBN 978-1-60777-196-8 (Available at www.ravenousromance.com)
Paperback ISBN-: 978-1593501587. The paperback edition is available from Alyson books. Read more at http://www.alyson.com/9781593501587.html

EXCERPT from “Steak Tartare” in the Women of the Bite Anthology edited by Cecilia Tan:

When filling out the online form for the matchmaking service, I knew I was in trouble when I saw the third question. The age category only had two spaces for numbers. I couldn’t type in that I was one thousand fourteen years old, nor could I shorten it and write that I was fourteen. If I hadn’t already paid the exorbitant fee, I would have bailed out then and there. As it was, however, I didn’t want to waste my money. I answered by typing “NA.” At least it didn’t give me an error message for typing letters instead of numbers. The form was more user friendly than some job applications I had filled out in the past.

I wanted to be honest during the process; I wanted love rather than just a convenient neck to sip. After living for centuries alone, I longed for someone to love. The multiple choice questions for the next hundred pages or so went something like this for answers. “A) Answer that doesn’t remotely fit. B) Answer that might have been applicable over a thousand years ago before I was bitten and hence made undead. C) Answer that I was tempted to select so that I would seem like a normal, human date seeker. D) Answer that only applied to straight people. E) None of the above.

Starlight Saturday

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Megan Crewe!!!

Imagine if you were like Allison Dubois (Medium) or Melinda Gordon(Ghost Whisperer) and could not only see ghosts and talk to them, but unlike with Allison and Melinda, your ghosts never went away.  Yeah, see, Allison and Melinda do things to help ghosts move on.  But what if that didn't happen?  What if, everyday you went to school or work, you saw the same ghosts and they were just itching to tell you all the office gossip you could handle and then some?  Would you listen?  

Well, in Give Up the Ghost, high school student Cassie, faced just such a dilemma.  However, because of the fact that practically the entire school teased her and spread false rumors about her, her decision was easy.  She listened and used what she learned to essentially blackmail the rest of the students into silence.  They had no way to know how she knew what she knew.  Or did they?  

Cassie finally had the dirt that would settle an old score for her and even the scales, but in her pursuit of personal justice, she finds a disturbing, anonymous note in her locker:
"I know how you know.  Meet me at the basketball courts, final bell, this afternoon."

But the note isn't as anonymous as the culprit thinks because one of Cassie's ghostly friends saw him and told Cassie who he was.  So, what does he want?  Will he expose her? 

You'll have to read on to find out.  In the mean time, let's get to the interview.

Let’s start with some trivia about you:

Q. Do you have a movie that you must watch every Halloween? What's your favorite scary movie? Do you have a favorite scary character or character type?

A. I like to watch a different scary movie each Halloween—variety is fun! I think my favorite scary movie is Wait Until Dark. It’s an oldie, but so chilling and creepy. I prefer psychological suspense over gore, so I like villains who mess with their victims’ heads rather than hacking them up.

Q. Do you have any Halloween traditions like decorating your house, having house parties, wearing costumes, etc.?

A. At my parents’ house, we’d always carve a jack-o-lantern and hand out candy, of course. Since then I’ve lived in apartments where we don’t get trick-or-treaters, but when I have a house of my own, I’m looking forward to decorating it and maybe getting dressed up, too!

Q. If you do you dress up for Halloween, what will you be dressed up as this year? What was your all-time most favorite costume that you ever wore? Why?

A. These days I don’t usually get dressed up. My favorite costume as a kid was a bat costume my mom made for me when I was eleven. I had cloth wings that stretched my back to my hands so I could flap them like actual wings. I thought it was very cool because I’d never seen anyone dress up as a bat before. J

Q. Are you superstitious? Do you find yourself knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder? If not one of these two, what is your superstition?

A. I’m a little superstitious. If I spill salt I’ll usually toss a pinch over my shoulder. Little things like that. I don’t actually think that it accomplishes anything but better to be safe than sorry!

Q. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever had a ghostly encounter and tell us about it?

A. I’m on the fence when it comes to ghosts. I think it’s possible that they exist, but not having ever seen one myself, I’m not convinced they definitely do.

Q. Tell us 3 funny or strange things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Halloweens.

A. They used to set up a haunted house in the gym at my school. One time I got lost in it—I took a wrong turn and ended up in part that wasn’t really part of the “house”—but it was actually scarier than the haunted house itself because I didn’t know where to go!

One year I went trick-or-treating with a friend. As we were walking up to one house I saw a man slumped in a chair near the door, done up to look like he was just a decoration. But I could tell it was a real person. I didn’t say anything to my friend, though, and when he jumped up, she jumped even higher! We laughed for a long time after.

I go trick-or-treating with the kids I work with most years now. They have autism, so they’re not always interested in the same things most kids are. Our biggest challenge is keeping them at the doorway, not heading on into the house. The one boy is far more interested in checking out people’s ceiling fans than getting candy!

Q. If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

A. Probably a faerie. I like the idea of being able to do magic, and possibly having access to other worlds. It could be fun being some sort of shape shifter, too, but that always seems to come with a lot of problems as well.

Now, let’s get to your writing:

Q. Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

A. I’ve always liked exploring what might happen if things we think aren’t real really existed. How people would react when faced with something like ghosts. It brings out a side of people you might not otherwise see. And it’s exciting pushing characters out of their comfort zone.

Q. If you could describe your paranormal writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and look beyond words like vampire, werewolf, etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

A. The unreal can still be true.

Q. Do you prefer playing tricks on people or bestowing treats? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

A. I like to trick people and then give them a treat to make up for it! ;) And I think that does show in my writing. I put characters in painful or difficult situations, but I always give them some hope and happiness by the end.

Q. Who decides what creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one stirring the cauldron?

A. I think of my inspiration as being a part of me. And it’s a joint process. Certain ideas just grab me more on an unconscious level (which I guess is the muse part). But I also make practical choices based on what I think would make an engaging story and what’s already been done.

Q. What was the creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

A. My ghosts were a lot of fun. Both because they each had such individual and quirky personalities, and because I got to make up rules for how they would behave, how their memory worked, the scent they’d leave behind.

Q. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why? Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

A. I’d like to meet my main character, Cass. I think it’d do her a lot of good to have someone who understands her situation completely to talk to, and she’s got a great sense of humor. I wouldn’t want to meet Matti—he’s vindictive and narrow-minded, and I can’t imagine I’d enjoy talking with him at all.

BLURB:

Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...


EXCERPT:

You would think it'd be easy to get along with a person after she's dead. Not Paige. She took her big sister duties very seriously. It'd been four years since she drowned, and she still got on my case.

"You're not really wearing those to school," she said, perched in the air just above the wrought-iron headboard of my bed, her ankles crossed and tipped to the side. It was the way she used to sit at the dinner table, way back when--pretending to be hooked on Dad's every word while her mind wandered off to choicer topics. Except these days she did it without a chair.

"What's wrong with them?" I asked, zipping up my jeans. She was wearing jeans, too. Of course, her jeans were tight, low cut capris. Mine were big and baggy. I'd stepped on the hems so many times they were as thready as my violet carpet, but hey, they were comfortable.

Paige wrinkled her pert nose and shook her head. Very few things got her as worked up as my untapped fashion potential. Most of the time she had this faded tissue-paper look, so filmy I could see right through her. Get her interested, though, and she brightened up like a Chinese lantern. Right then, she was beaming from her bleached-blond hair to her strappy sandals.

A few years ago it would have pissed me off. These days, I was used to it. It was like a game: how bossy could she get, how bratty could I get. Playing at being normal.

"Don't you ever look at yourself, Cassie?" Paige said. "You've got nicer stuff in your closet. It's like you want to be a slob."

"There are more important things than clothes, you know."

"You could at least brush your hair. Please."

I stuck out my lip to blow my bangs away from my eyes, and grinned. "All right, if it's so important to you."

I found my brush in the heap of comic books, dirty dishes, and loose change on top of my dresser and tugged it through the mud-brown mess of my hair. Paige drifted over, her hand grazing my head with a faint tingle. The smell of candied apples and cinnamon wisped from her fingers.

"You could be pretty, Cassie," she murmured. "You've got an okay figure, if you dressed to show it off... A little make-up--I bet your eyes could look really green if you did it right, and a new hair cut..."

"Why bother?"

Paige groaned. "You want to have friends, don't you? People care about that stuff. You look nice, they're nice to you. You look like a mess, they're laughing about it behind your back."

My smile died. I yanked the brush through a knot, wincing. From what I'd seen, looking nice didn't stop people from making fun of you. I'd dressed pretty decent back in junior high, and it sure as hell hadn't helped me.

But that was ancient history. The kids at Frazer Collegiate weren't laughing at me now. And I had enough dirt on all of them to make sure it stayed that way.