SUPERNATURAL SUNDAY

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

I've talked about my guest blogger's special "trick or treat" for you all week long and it's finally here! There are giveaways for comments and the prizes are:

Kelly Abell will be giving away an e-copy of Haunted Destiny
Marissa Farrar will be giving away an e-copy of Alone.
Rie McGaha will be giving away a Closure writing tablet.
A $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card is up for grabs.
A pink/flower book cover (this is intended to protect paperback books).

(Unfortunately, due to the cost of postage, if you're outside the United States, please be aware that when you enter the contest you are only entering to win one of the e-books.)


Here's what the guest bloggers wrote for you:

The harvest moon shimmered bright behind thick billowing clouds. Shadows hung within shadows along the roadway. The hair on Beth's arms stood up, her feet snapping quickly against pavement, berating herself for not checking the gas gauge. A twig snapped.

Beth spun around fear grabbing her heart in a vise. She could sense him rather than see him. She reached out with her mind to find what might be out among the shadows. His thoughts were far from violent but they are intense. He was hunting, but not for food.

His desire was a potent scent and it pulled her in. What was wrong with her? She should be terrified in her situation, in the dead of night, but here she was enthralled by a stranger. When he stepped out of the shadows, highlighted by the glow of the moon, she knew her fate was sealed.

Blood coated the front of his jacket, smeared his sleeves. But this was not the first thing she noticed. Instead it was the strange yellow pupils that watched her so intently, and, as he opened his mouth to speak, she saw a set of teeth that should not belong in the head of any man – even one as striking as this.

"You shouldn't be here." Her teeth chattered together like mariachis as he took a step forward with muddy bare feet showing at the hem of his torn jeans. Her heart pounded wildly against her ribs threatening to explode from her chest. "I…my car…gas." His brow raised as humor pulled at the corner of his lips.

Beth stepped away, her back hitting the cold wall. No escape. He moved closer, his potent scent sending her sex drive into overload. She bit her bottom lip and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. His bloodstained tongue swept across his fangs. A low growl rumbled from his chest.

She shouldn't feel this way, she knew. She should scream. Or run. Fight back. But she didn't. Couldn't. His mouth was only a breath away and her tongue snaked out, moistening her lips. Then his lips met hers. Warm and wet. Her heart pounded in her ears as she felt her body melting, glad for the wall behind her and his body before her.

Beth didn’t think about the blood, ignored the metallic scent and concentrated on his hard, muscled chest. Any moment now she’d be his next victim. Pulse pounding, a tingling sensation began in her nose and she pulled away seconds before the sneeze overtook her. Desperate to recapture the embrace, she turned her head only to see the familiar faces of the guests at the Halloween party. Her heart prickled with disappointment that the intense longing had been fantasy, yet… Her gaze met that of a yellow-eyed wolfman across the room. As he approached her with determined steps, a wash of heat coursed through her, tingling in all the right places. Time to make a little Halloween magic of her own. Who said fantasies had to stay in daydreams?


I hope you enjoyed their combined story! Each paragraph was written by a different guest blogger. Now, just for fun, it's your job to tell me who you "think" wrote each paragraph. On November 1st, I'll draw winners and announce which authors wrote which paragraphs so you can see how close you were to getting it right! Winners will be drawn at random and NOT because of correctness of guessing which authors wrote which paragraphs.

The contributing bloggers are as follows:

Gracen Miller (me, of course)
Stacey Espino
Kelly Abell
Marissa Farrar
Sandra Sookoo
H.C. Brown
Rie McGaha
Cherie De Sues

Twilight Thursday

Please welcome multi-published author, Sandra Sookoo! To read prior interviews with Sandra here in the moonlight, visit HERE and HERE.


GRACEN: 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?

SANDRA: I do but I’m not real big into the scary stuff. I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to horror LOL I always watch Practical Magic, Sleepy Hollow, Hocus Pocus and The Corpse Bride


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

SANDRA: I haven’t dressed up for Halloween in years…unless you’re asking about sexy costumes for the hubby, but we won’t go there… My favorite costume? Probably a bag lady because I wore these really dorky striped knee socks LOL


GRACEN: 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?

SANDRA: Not a bit. Although I think it’s beyond cool if I get all green lights on my way to somewhere.


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

SANDRA: I do think there are ghosts among us. There have been times when I’ve been woken from a sound sleep by whispered voices and then there was that whole pantry fiasco a couple of weeks ago. Long story…


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

SANDRA: Once when I was in my teens, some friends dragged me to a “haunted” wood. When a scary character jumped out at me, I reacted by shoving him. He fell into a creek. That’s about it. I’m more the type to stay home and hand out the candy, since I’m a big scardey cat.


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

SANDRA: Oooh, tough question! I like the idea of werewolves, but getting furry once a month just doesn’t appeal. I have enough trouble keeping the legs shaved regularly LOL A vampire? Not so much. Living forever? Enough already! LOL Maybe a ghost, as long as I didn’t have to go through centuries needing to right a wrong…Oh, wait, that’s the kind of stories I like to write. Hmm. This question needs more thought!


GRACEN: Swashbuckling pirates like Johnny Depp are sexy, but e-pirates are not. How do you handle e-pirates in your writing world? Do you have any advice or wish to share any experience with other writers? Anything you wish to say to e-pirates in general?

SANDRA! Well, I’d say to e-pirates, shame on you! You’re stealing, no bones about it. What would your grandmother say?

When my work is pirated, I sent the take down notices, but in all honesty, this doesn’t help. It goes right back up. And here’s the truth, you can’t stop them until Congress passes laws. It happens and you pretty much just need to consider it free promotion. You can’t make yourself crazy about worrying over it.


GRACEN: Now, let’s get to your writing, Sandra…Why the paranormal genre? What was the draw for you?

SANDRA: Well, the glory of writing in the paranormal world is the very other-worldly aspect of it! There’s a certain mystery, a collection of secrets that go along with being not quite normal. It brings an added conflict to the storyline.


GRACEN: 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.

SANDRA: Acceptance often goes beyond human understanding.


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

SANDRA: LOL Well there’s a fine line, I’d say. Because I’m a huge baker, that oftentimes bleeds into my stories. On the other hand, I’m a very funny person so that transfers as well.


GRACEN: 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?

SANDRA: I usually decide on the creature then I turn it over to the Muse. Depending on her mood, the story will be sweet or loaded with heat. I’ve decided I’m fine with that because it brings something for everyone.


GRACEN: What was the creature/paranormal character that you had the most fun creating and why? Who—to you—was the sexiest character you wrote and why?

SANDRA: Hmm, the most fun? Hands down Gregg the tax auditor demon in Demons & Stilettos. Oh but then there’s Hannah from The Art of Fang Shui. She was all kinds of fun and kind of a pain! Sexiest character? That’s a hard one, too. Xavier the werewolf from Vegetarian at Midnight or Ethan from Angel’s Master. He’s not a paranormal but he is a pirate…


GRACEN: 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?

SANDRA: Oh wow, let’s see. I’d love to meet Edwin from Fang Shui. He’s very interesting. Or maybe the Bernhart brothers from my Holiday Magic series. Now there’s a couple of interesting men… Which one would I never want to meet? Hmm… Gregg from Demons and Stilettos. I don’t think I could survive him…


GRACEN: Thanks for joining us today, Sandra! It's always a pleasure to have you with us!

Blurb and excerpt for Changing Tides (a Strange Hollow tale):

Blurb:
Born of water. Neadra is an Undine, yet the thought of being in any body of water besides her bathtub terrifies her. In Strange Hollow, she lives on the side a the mountain, content and out of harm’s way, even as she yearns to be understood for her fears and loved in spite of them.

Drawn to water. Caelan, a water dragon from the wilds of Ireland, has been shunned by his clan for his inability to shift and terrorize. Lonely for too long, he meets Neadra one moonlit night and becomes enchanted by her kindness and her unique beauty, but how could anyone love him if he has no heroic ability whatsoever?

Threatened by water. When late spring rains, coupled with warm temperatures, melt much of the snow pack on Mt. Mitchell, a flood sweeps through the outskirts of Strange Hollow, putting Neadra’s life in danger. Caelan fights his way to get to her, pulling out the hero he never thought he could be while she, in turn, works through her fears to find him. Only through acceptance of the world around them and of each other will they find the life they’ve always wanted.

Excerpt:

Neadra sighed and dipped her feet a bit deeper into the chilly water. She perched at the very edge of Shady Lake, alone with only the moon and the lake for company. The romance of the area wasn’t lost on her.

A thick wood line shrouded the far side of the lake, serving as a barrier between the business end of Strange Hollow and the small network of farms and homes of the flatlands. She’d heard that any resident wishing to buy property in the outlying areas must be prepared to defend said real estate against interlopers who didn’t hold true with the laws of the town. Every homeowner outside the downtown area received two acres of land along with their house with specific instructions not to sub-let the acreage.

It seemed the founder of Strange Hollow didn’t want the beauty of the town marred by endless subdivisions, fast food joints and strip malls. Working alongside nature. As it should be.

Slowly wriggling her toes, she stared at the dark stretch of water. So much potential. So much fear. She pulled her long skirt up her legs and slid forward until the water lapped over her calves.

I can’t do this.

Ignoring the task at hand, Neadra let her mind ponder her state of singleness. Since she’d been a very little girl it had been drilled into her that water sprites only mated within their species. What happened to a woman who, by necessity, had to live away from her community and family? Because of her fear, she’d been forced to make her home in a tool shed near the sea, much to the derision of her family.

It also meant she appeared damaged and broken in the eyes of potential mate material. Not to mention, she lacked the gills inherent to her species, making living on land essential. She was decidedly too odd to fit into the aquatic community.

She blew out a shaky breath. Time marched on while her biological clock ticked down the years, bringing panic with it. In two months, she’d pass her thirty-first birthday, not young anymore and nearing the danger zone on the reproductive scale.

My life is so messed up.

Watching the moon’s reflection on the lake surface, two glowing blue objects caught her attention. Neadra narrowed her eyes, straining forward. It was too early in the season for amphibian life and the orbs were too large to belong to a snake or fish. In the space of a heartbeat, they vanished. Relief swept through her body. She didn’t want to encounter some of the more fierce wildlife rumored to live around the mountain.

As suddenly as they disappeared, the blue objects came back into view, almost staring at her with weird, electric light. She shivered and pulled her feet beneath her, out of the water. Were they eyes? How was it possible? If an Undine didn’t want to be seen, no one except another water sprite could see them--unless she failed at the camouflage aspect of her culture as well. She’d never had an opportunity to test the theory.

The eyes came closer, confirming the fact the objects belonged to something. Her pulse steadily increased until it drummed out a frantic rhythm. Too fascinated to move, she watched as it closed the distance, only ten feet from the shore and her.

Threads of nameless anticipation slid over her skin, invoking goose bumps, but she felt no fear. Five feet of dark water separated her from whatever lurked beneath the surface. Her throat went dry as she wondered what kind of being it was.

With the smooth movements of someone accustomed to spending time in and around water, the placid scene shimmered. The top of a male head appeared, bobbed for an instant, his gaze never breaking eye contact with her, and he swam forward. The closer he got, the more of his body was revealed until he stood, dripping, on the shore near her.

For a few seconds, Neadra forgot how to breathe as she stared at the naked form of the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She gasped and realized beautiful was not nearly an appropriate way to describe this particular male. He was at least six feet tall, and she had to tip her head back in order to properly take him all in. Black, coarse hair sprinkled his winter-pale skin, and as he lifted his hands to slick his thick, black hair from his face, the muscles in his broad chest rippled.

Unable to breathe without sounding like a dog in heat, Neadra licked her lips as her gaze moved from his clean-shaven, square jaw, over wide shoulders, thick from daily gym visits or hard labor, and down along his torso, following the sensual black ribbon of hair past washboard abs to his partially rampant arousal.

“Wow.” She’d barely forced the word out when her sex contracted with a strong aching need and she had to squeeze her thighs together to stave off the sensations. Quickly snapping her gaze to his face, she sought to distract herself from his body--except his brilliant eyes caused havoc with her insides. She felt an insane desire to trace the strong lines of his face, run her fingers over his jaw, and feel his lips against hers. “Wow.”

The man smiled. The ordinary action lit his face into a softer version, twinkling his eyes and causing gentle creases to appear at the sides of his mouth and across his forehead, as if he indulged in grinning often. “It’s not often I get such a reaction from the ladies, especially not one as pretty as you. I’m Caelan Burke.”

Neadra melted a tiny bit further at the slight Irish accent in his baritone voice. “Hi.” At a disadvantage from her position on the ground, not to mention the tempting distraction of his naughty bits at eye level, she struggled to her feet. The small pebbles that made up the shore cut into the soles, but she barely noticed as she held out her hand. “My name is Neadra.”

When she moved forward to shake the hand he offered, her toes tangled into the hem of her long skirt and she stumbled, taking a few unsteady steps backward and teetering into the lake with a resounding splash.

Publisher’s website: http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/
Strange Hollow site: http://www.strangehollow.com/
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D_rDgGd8xA
Author’s website: http://sandrasookoo.com/. From here you’ll find links to me on Twitter, Facebook and my blogs.

DON'T FORGET...Return on Halloween for a special treat the guest bloggers have worked on for YOU!! There will be prizes given away, so be sure to join us here in the moonlight on Halloween!

TANTALIZING TUESDAY

Please welcome Sandra Sookoo into the moonlight today. Some of you may remember Sandra, as she guest blogged with us on January 28th to promote her book, Safe From the Flames. Here’s the link for those that missed her guest blog or want to refresh their memory: http://moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com/2010/01/twilight-thursday_28.html

Now, Sandra is excited to be back and promote her newest release, Demons and Stilettos are a Girl’s Best Friend. Personally, I love this title and just the title makes me think it’s chocked full of mayhem and fun!

To learn more about Sandra and her books, visit her website at: http://www.sandrasookoo.com/

So, let’s get down to business asking Sandra the hard questions…LOL

~~~~~

GRACEN: May 5th marks a unique voluntarily celebrated holiday recognizing the Mexican efforts against the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1962 under General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin. This battle is legendary because since that time, not one country in the Americas has been invaded by another continent. Do you and/or your friends celebrate this holiday? Why or why not? If so, how do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

SANDRA: I’ve never celebrated this holiday. It means absolutely nothing to me.


GRACEN: Mother’s Day has become as commercialized as other holidays, but, as far as I can tell, no one seems to mind. Some mothers prefer flowers, some a nice meal, while others prefer gifts like time alone. If you are a mother or wish you were one, what would be your ultimate gift on Mother’s Day? Do (would) you prefer your gifts bought or handmade?

SANDRA: I’m not a mom and don’t really want kids at this time. I usually buy my mom something that will last longer than flowers or a meal.


GRACEN: With the situation in the Middle East, more and more people feel the need to demonstrate their support for the troops. Are you among them? Why or why not? If so, what do you, or have you done to show your support? (If you’re not, that’s okay!) Will you be doing anything special on Armed Forces Day?

SANDRA: I try not to get involved in anything have to do with the military situation. There are so many opinions on this matter and no matter what I’d say, I would end up making someone mad LOL


GRACEN: Many people make a point to care for the graves of loved ones on Memorial Day, or have parties and picnics to celebrate them. What about you? What, if any, Memorial Day traditions do you have?

SANDRA: I don’t really do anything on Memorial Day except spend time with my husband. My family is too disjointed and scattered to do anything with.

GRACEN: There are several games on Facebook (and maybe other social networking sites) that advertise about turning your image into a cartoon avatar, and these next questions find their roots there, but character has been substituted for avatar.

If you wrote yourself as a character, who would you be if someone other than yourself? Would you have the same name, physical attributes, anatomy or would everything change? What would your name be and what would your character-self look like? Would you be the heroine or the hero? Why?

SANDRA: I’d probably be the heroine. A kick-butt woman who doesn’t take crap from anyone. Maybe I’d be blonde. And slim. And wear stiletto boots with a dagger strapped to my thigh LOL As for names, let’s see. Meg Kincaid.


GRACEN: What about your personality and traits? What would you change and what would you keep? What new traits would you give your character-self and why those traits?

SANDRA: Maybe she’d volunteer at an animal shelter or work with the homeless. Maybe she’d cook. Who knows?


GRACEN: When would you exist? Would you go back in time, stay in the present, or jump into the future? What time period would you pick and why?

SANDRA: I’d probably stick to the present.


GRACEN: What type of story would it be (other than historical, contemporary or futuristic)?

SANDRA: Some sort of action story with plenty of foot chases and fast cars and hunky guys


GRACEN: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing, Sandra…What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

SANDRA: My main genre is romance. I’m most comfortable writing in the paranormal, historical and contemporary sub-genres, it just depends on my mood. The main draw of romance is the promise of a HEA. Starting off with compelling characters, throwing a whole bunch of problems at them and seeing how they work together to get out of them is the big payoff for me.


GRACEN: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others? Any elements you would never use? Why or why not?

SANDRA: When I started out writing romance, I kept all my stories “sweet”. Now that I’m more comfortable in my own skin as a writer, I’m kicking my stories up several notches to “spicy”. I like seeing how my characters interact after the “big event” in the bedroom and how it strengthens and helps their relationship. Elements that I won’t use? I have no idea at this point. Writing is a constantly growing process.


GRACEN: In your opinion, what author or story had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing or that story did you find so influential and why?

SANDRA: I enjoy many different authors in many different genres, so to narrow it down to just one author would be like asking me which of my fingers I could do without. It can’t be done LOL


GRACEN: While authors and stories can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but sometimes specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, DEMONS AND STILETTOS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

SANDRA: Well, my hero rides a motorcycle, so the inspiration for that part of the story came from my dad. He’s a big Harley enthusiast so I asked him a lot of questions about the bike. What else inspired this story? Of all things, I was listening to the soundtrack to Disney’s Lilo and Stitch and there’s an Elvis song on there “Devil in Disguise”. It talks about the Devil being disguised by an Angel. From that song, this book was born.


GRACEN: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, tell us about the hero and heroine (s) of your story. What do they look like? How do they meet (or “did” if this is not the first book with these same characters)? What are their personalities – Are they comical cut-ups, are they serious or are they a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

SANDRA: Oh wow. My heroine, Anne Jenkins, is an ordinary, blonde-haired gal who lives with her gramma. She’s very sarcastic. My hero, nicely built, fit with black hair, Gregg Carter, rides the aforementioned bike and is an IRS agent, not to mention a demon. They first meet as Anne is riding a runaway horse and Gregg saves her life—with heavy consequences. Both are comical and the interaction between them even made me laugh at times.

Example excerpt:

“What the hell are you talking about?” As her common sense trickled back, she narrowed her eyes. He didn’t look like a vagrant, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t crazy.

“Actually, you’re not far from the mark. I know every zip code of Hell on an intimate basis.” He stuck out a hand. “The name’s Carter. Gregg Carter.”

“Dude, you’re so not an international super spy.” No matter how hard she attempted to contain the chuckle, it escaped anyway.

“I never claimed I was.” He cleared his throat. “Now, how about we get down to business before that twittering horde of what you call friends descends upon us in hysterical female fashion.”


GRACEN: The main characters are usually great, but sometimes, secondary and tertiary characters are known to steal the scenes. Who are the secondary/tertiary characters in your story and what do they look like? What’s unique about them? What is their relationship to the hero/heroine? Have any of these gone on to become scene-stealers? If so, who and how did they do it? (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

SANDRA: LOL Oh, my secondary character is…well a character! She’s Anne’s Gramma Dottie and she looks like your typical grandmother type but she’s still sharp as a tack.

Example excerpt:

Gregg transferred his attention to the older woman sitting in a wooden rocking chair.

“I may be almost ninety, but I’m still in charge in my own home. You can’t stay in the house.” She tilted her half-moon reading glass down her nose. “There’s a guest room over the garage. Haven’t used it in months, so I can’t vouch for the shape it’s in. Rent’s eighty bucks a week, cash. You buy your own groceries.” Faded hazel eyes pierced through his chest as if she wielded a sword. “No smoking. No drinking. No parties. No funny business with my granddaughter. I know what you are, and I won’t stand for you corrupting Anne.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Gregg sat then shifted on the plastic-covered sofa, wincing when the leather of his pants created a crude sound.




BLURB:

Anne Jenkins never believed there was a heaven or hell but when she’s rescued from a runaway horse by a guy who claims he’s a demon, her freak detector goes off. She demands proof and the leather-clad biker sets some local wildlife on fire. She starts to trust in a hurry.

Gregg Carter, bound to the Devil for all eternity because of an audit gone wrong, seizes the opportunity to take possession of Anne’s soul as a way to please his boss. What he didn’t count on was the fact that his libido would take the one-way bus to crazy town as he gets to know her better.

Trouble is, Anne and Gregg spend so much time trying to hide their true selves from each other, they can’t escape the attraction that builds between them. But everyone knows demons and humans don’t mix, and neither can two people who have no futures.

EXCERPT:

Anne glanced around, looking for hidden cameras just in case her friends were attempting to punk her. Seeing nothing but red and gold leaves that shook in the slight breeze, she turned back to the biker. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“You bet. Now, I need you to sign here testifying that I did indeed save your life and prevented the early termination of such. Because I did, the payment for my deed is one human soul, to be rendered due and payable within thirty days of the receipt of said services.” He held the pen out to her. “I do have other clients today.”

“I can’t just give you my soul. I don’t even know exactly where in my body it’s located or how a person goes about parting with it.” She took another drink. “Besides, don’t I need my soul in order to function? I’m pretty sure it’s not like an appendix or something.” Flutters filled her stomach when the smile he’d flashed earlier morphed into something smoldering and sexy.

“A human soul is only valuable if you know how to use it. To sweeten the pot, I’m prepared to give you three wishes.”

Anne snorted while she took another drink. Water shot through her nose, and tears stung her eyes. Not exactly the sort of thing that would impress a bike-riding minion from hell—not that she wanted to impress him. Damn, I must be desperate if I’m trying to catch the interest of an alleged demon.

Wiping the drops from her face with the back of her hand, she stifled another round of laughter. “Three wishes, huh? Like a magic genie?”

“No, it’s an added bonus, an incentive. Think of it as a supplement to the contract in order to cushion the blow of my taking your soul. You have thirty days to accept the offer, but be aware there are some conditions.”

“Is saving me from impending death one of the wishes?” The whole conversation felt so weird and beyond normal that Anne suddenly knew how Alice felt in the Lewis Carroll story.

“No, but at least you’re paying attention.” A smile curved his lips. “You can use the wishes on yourself or others, but they must be used in the time allowed. You can’t save them. Also, until you exhaust the wishes or they expire at the end of the specified term, I will be your constant companion—”

“I thought you had other clients?”

He huffed his disapproval. “I have a very loose schedule. Anyway, if you do not use the wishes by the end of the thirty day period, you forfeit them, and I still take your soul.”

“That doesn’t sound very fair.” Anne frowned. Fear made her insides clench. “What if I don’t agree to any of it? I mean,” she snorted from the absurdity of the notion, “it really is pretty unbelievable.”

A shadow of annoyance crossed Gregg’s face, and his expression grew dark with anger. “It doesn’t matter. I saved your life. Therefore, you owe me. I can reset recent events and leave you to die, or I can take your soul, and you’ll still die, but at least you will have lived it up for thirty days. What’s not to get?”

Remember, to purchase Sandra’s new book or any of her others, visit her website: http://www.sandrasookoo.com/