Today is my favorite holiday: Halloween! It’ll be a busy one, too, despite the rain. I’m working all day at The Witch House, the 17th-century home of one of the 9 judges during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. All month long, tourists have been asking me if there’s paranormal activity in the house (80% of which is original to 1675). I’ve experienced quite a bit in the house…all good stuff, though.
Last October, I wrote a blog post about some of my experiences and one of the spirits I believe visits from time to time. Since I wrote the post, many events have occurred to reconfirm what I wrote again and again. If you’re new to my blog, click here to read that original post.
Time to get this day started. The Joseph Vargo art above really sets the mood, doesn’t it? Wishing you a safe, fun, and spooky Halloween! 🙂
Today’s the day: the worldwide release of my time travel romance Night of the Owl, the fourth of The Novels of Ravenwood. N. N. Light’s Book Heaven and The Captivating Quill are both spotlighting the book today. Click on the links to read more.
The hero and heroine’s mutual love of history reflects my husband’s and mine. You might say history brought us together because right around the same time, each of us decided independently to move from different parts of the country to Virginia, specifically to seek work at Colonial Williamsburg. Nowadays, we work (respectively) at The House of the Seven Gables and The Witch House here in Salem, MA. There’s a lot of both of us in Night of the Owl. That’s why the release date is perfect; today is our 19th wedding anniversary. As if that isn’t enough, I wore my hair almost exactly like the cover model’s on the big day. Neither my publisher nor the cover artist knew about either coincidence. Pretty cool, right?!
Here’s a little about the story:
PhD student Ardyth Nightshade has renounced men and pursues her twentieth-century career with single-minded focus. When fate whisks her to medieval England, she meets her match in a man whose passions mirror her own. Can she sacrifice ambition for a love she never sought?
Hugh, Lord Seacrest confounds all who know him. He refuses to marry without a meeting of minds and hearts, and no lady has even approached his ideal…until Ardyth. But she’s an odd one, with unique skills, shocking habits, and total conviction she needs no man. She also harbors secrets, and in the midst of rumors, plots, and murder, trust is fragile.
A woman outside of her time. A man ahead of his. They must take a leap of faith to forge a bond that will shape history.
A peek between the pages:
Ardyth looked from one tunnel entrance to the next, and then the next. The ledge in front of them was substantial. It ran along the rock wall to the right, all the way to the mouth of the cave, winding around it to continue along the outer cliff.
Again, she pointed. “Where does that lead?”
“Shouldn’t you be doffing your clothes?”
Her eyes narrowed. “In other words, you don’t intend to answer my question.”
He grinned. “Clever, aren’t you?”
She returned his smile. “I like to think so.”
“If you’re stalling because you cannot swim—”
“Oh, I can swim.” She could hardly wait to feel the cool water on her skin.
He folded his arms, and his intense, gray eyes held a dare. “Then show me.”
“Hold this.” She handed him the folded smock. Get ready to eat crow, buddy! Quickly, she removed her boots, hose, and tunics. When only her thin, white chemise remained, she stole a peek at her skeptical host. He stared at her bare feet.
She sighed. “I know. My feet are hardly attractive. In fact, I’ve always thought my toes resemble…”
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
Astronauts. But I can’t tell you that. “Nothing.”
His eyebrows settled again, but the orbs beneath them seemed to glow with a new light. “I beg to differ with your opinion. Your feet are quite…lovely.”
She almost laughed, until heat flooded her cheeks. I’m blushing? “Thank you,” she muttered. With an inward groan, she started toward the water. For crying out loud! He only complimented your feet. Your pale, crazy, NASA-evoking feet. Get a grip!
The ocean breeze caught the hem of her smock as she stepped into the surf. Foamy water—colder than she would’ve liked—enveloped her feet. Thank God for the heat of the sun! But this was the closest she’d come to a bath in days, and she was determined to prove her skills to the man who underestimated her at every turn. She waded forward, and the brisk, undulating water swallowed her calves, knees, thighs, and hips.
“Lady Ardyth!”
She turned. Her dry smock in his hands, Hugh stood with feet well apart on the wet sand.
“You needn’t prove your courage further!” he called above the lapping, swishing voice of the sea. “Come back before—”
“Courage isn’t the point! Swimming is!” The level of the surrounding water lowered to her thighs, signaling a coming wave.
She turned just as it crested and dove headfirst into it. Completely submerged in the chill, rushing water, she headed left and allowed herself to rise to the surface. She swam freestyle for several strokes, then flipped onto her back and floated with abandon. After a minute or two, she flipped over, and swam in the opposite direction. Then she stood with the water at her ribs, waited for the next wave, and indulged in bodysurfing, which carried her with a whoosh back toward shore.
Satisfied, she straightened, knee-deep in the water. Her wet chemise clung to her frame, and she knew Lord Seacrest was getting a lordly eyeful. Her nipples were rock-hard from the cold.
She rolled her eyes toward the bright, blue sky. My kingdom for a bra! And throw in a pair of underwear, too! But both articles of clothing were back at Nihtscua and not likely to appear anytime soon. For the first time since plunging into the surf, she regarded Hugh.
Eyes wide, her dry smock clutched in his hands, he stood as if frozen. Only his gaze moved, traveling from her breasts to the apex of her thighs.
She pulled the smock away from her flesh as best she could and advanced toward him, stopping an arm’s length away. “I told you I could swim.”
He blinked. Then his full, sensual lips curled into a smile. “Indeed, you did.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“You’ve doubted me twice already. Perhaps you owe me an apology.”
His eyes widened, then relaxed. “Perhaps I do. Pray…forgive me.”
The words couldn’t have come easily, and the fact he’d said them made her grin. “I forgive you. This time. But I ask respectfully that you not underestimate me again.”
For two seconds, he hesitated. “ʼTis a reasonable request, and I shall endeavor to honor it.” He gave her a quizzical look. Then he shook his head and chuckled. “Is there anything you cannot do?”
She thought for a moment. “I’ve never ridden aside. If I’m going to ride something, I spread my legs.” The instant the words left her mouth, she cringed inside. Good God. That came out all wrong!
Humor curved his lips, but his eyes smoldered. Did his thoughts mirror hers? He took a step closer, and his masculine aura invaded her personal space. “Tell me more.”
If that piques your interest, here’s where you can buy the book:
I’m thrilled to have another sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) here today. Please welcome Linda Nightingale! Her latest book, Sinners’ Opera, was released on October 7. Let’s get to know her…
At what age did you write your first story?
I always told my friends stories from the age of about 8 and thought of scenarios that we could play, like raking leaves to form a house, then being princesses or housewives. Big jump, right? Not for us. The first story I remember writing was in 9th grade in place of a book report. It was sci-fi about an alien discovered on Earth and his flight from his captors. He had silver-pink hair. (Hey, he’d be right in style today.)
Which genre was the first to hook you?
Romance and sci-fi.
What was your first published book?
My first book was Gemini Rising, which deals with a very sensitive, taboo for the most part subject. I wrote it because the characters woke me up one Sunday after a night on Miami Beach, and I wrote the first pages in purple on a legal pad. (Oh, no, purple prose!) A Canadian publisher picked it up, and it did fairly well considering the subject.
Sounds intriguing. What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing?
Easy. Writing. I’m not keen on research or editing but I love the white hot stream of creativity that flows from your fingers when the words are coming faster than you can type.
What are you working on now?
A companion story to Sinners’ Opera. In The Piano Man, Morgan is playing in a smoky piano bar, and in walks a love from his WWII days as a dashing RAF pilot flying night raids over Germany. Of course, our vampire hero hasn’t changed a bit. It goes back to the WWII story, then finishes in early 2005.
Cool! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite?
Charleston, SC. Charleston is my favorite city in the US. It was founded during the reign of Charles II and also ties to Morgan. A trip down the beautiful Battery takes you back to the Civil War with the cannons at White Point Gardens, and the gorgeous Antebellum mansions.
My great-grandmother lived in Charleston, so I went there as a little girl. A beautiful place! If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be?
Charles II of England. He was banished when his father was executed by Oliver Cromwell, but in 1660, he was restored to the throne by invitation. His court was known for being rowdy and a bit lascivious.
If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose?
Probably either Game of Thrones or Outlander.
If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request?
Enough money to live very comfortably for the rest of my life and have more left to will to my sons.
That’s a wish I share! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites…
Sound:The purr of Jaguar E-type exhausts.
Eye color:Blue
Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!):French
Song:“Phantom of the Opera”
Book:Fever Dream by George R.R. Martin
Movie:The Libertine with Johnny Depp
TV show:Game of Thrones
Cuisine: Indian
Cookie:Macadamia
US location:Charleston, SC
Foreign location:Yorkshire, UK, where my son lives.
I love that area of England and long to go back one day. Most of my upcoming release, Night of the Owl, takes place there! Okay…last but not least, list your preference from the following choices:
Tea or coffee?Coffee
Cake or pie?Cake
Halloween or Christmas?Hard choice.
I know; I love them both. Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes?Neither.
Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters?Jane Austen
A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover?mortal
English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy?English lord
Thanks so much for joining me today, Linda. Best of luck with Sinners’ Opera! Now, here’s the scoop on the book:
Morgan D’Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D’Arcy. Many forces oppose Morgan’s daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law.
Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel’s secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn’t human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau’s life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.
A peek between the pages:
“Run, Mary,” I panted, shoving her. “For God’s sake, run.”
Her hands branded my shoulders. Need coursed through me.
Her brow puckered. “How did you know my name?”
“You look like a Mary,” I gasped, trying to crawl away. “Bloody hell, run, woman.”
Saliva broke beneath my tongue. My heart thundered like a cavalry charge. Fever stung my veins. Instinct twisted me around to face my salvation and my damnation. My lips parted to reveal the one unmistakable characteristic of my kind.
“Fangs.” She recoiled, clutching her cross. “Lord Jesus, save me from this demon.”
I knelt in front of my savior, bowed my head over her heaving breasts to touch the cross to my lips. “Too late to run, too late to hide, and Mary dearest, your cross won’t save you.”
I held her gaze, a slow smile parting my lips. Her eyes clouded, jaw slackening. Too weak to command my more esoteric powers, I could still mesmerize my prey. It was just too bloody easy. Vampires are the perfect predators. But I had a choice. Didn’t I?
“What’s your name?” She inhaled a long, slow breath, toying with my hair. “You’re as beautiful as an angel.”
Another wave of misery broke over me. She wasn’t the only one who thought I looked like an angel.
Once, the woman I love—the woman who didn’t love me—believed I was an angel.
“My name is Morgan.” I couldn’t bring myself to say my second name, an angel’s name.
Mary ran her finger down my cheek. “Pretty name, Morgan.”
So simply, the seductive dance that would end in death began.
After 14 years in Texas, Linda just returned home to her roots in South Carolina. She has seven published novels, five of which are available from Audible.com in audio. Breeding and showing Andalusians, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. She has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. She retired from a career as a legal assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center to write full time.
She has 2 wonderful sons—one in Texas; one in England—and 4 equally marvelous grandchildren.
She enjoys dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties!
Paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and urban fantasy lovers, how would you like to take home a Kindle, Amazon gift card, or ebook prize pack where you get to choose the list of books you want from Amazon? Enter now for your chance to win!
Plus, check out the Secret Magicks Book Fair for a scavenger hunt game with a personal, leather-bound spell book up for grabs, and a huge shelf’s worth of page-turning vampire, angel, shifter, witch, fae, and other reads for 2.99 or less, some FREE!
Today, it’s my turn in the Trick or Treat Book Bonanza on N. N. Light’s Book Heaven! Come read an excerpt from my YA paranormal fantasy, The Stone Awakened(Guardians of Erin, Book 2), and see whom I’d dress as for Halloween. Check it out here!
While you’re there, don’t forget to enter to win one of the Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift cards. Good luck, and have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Great news! InD’Tale Magazine has awarded a “Crowned Heart” for excellence to the audiobook of Soul of the Wolf, the second of The Novels of Ravenwood. Here’s a bit of the review:
“As soon as the story begins, the listener is swept away into a richly described world of fantasy mixed seamlessly with historical romance…This beautifully written world will captivate listeners, and is perfect for fans of historical and fantasy fiction alike!”
Yay! I love making readers–and listeners–happy. You can read the whole review here.
I’m excited to have another sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) here today. Please welcome Karen Hulene Bartell, author of The Keys: Voice of the Turtle. Let’s get this interview started!
At what age did you write your first story?
I started writing my first novel when I was nine. After several days, I realized I didn’t know anything – that I’d have to wait for experience to catch up. However, that lack of knowledge didn’t stop this only child from writing stories about large families.
Which genre was the first to hook you?
Westerns were my first love.
What was your first published book?
The Best of Polish Cooking – it made Publisher’s Weekly and is still my only “best seller.”
What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing?
The best part of writing for me is the space to be creative, to let my imagination soar. I’m five years old again, and whatever I imagine “comes to life”—at least, on the page.
Yes, that’s a great feeling! What are you working on now?
Currently I’m in final edits with The Wild Rose Press on a Western Romance entitled Wild Rose Pass. I’ve also begun a Mainstream Fantasy entitled Kyoto: Tale of the Fox.
Wonderful! Good luck with both of them. Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite? Why?
Barcelona, Spain and the Camino de Santiago, or The Way of Saint James. The area intrigued me with its mystical landscape and two-thousand-year spirituality. I wrote about it in Christmas in Catalonia.
Have you ever dreamed about a character you created?
I once dreamed that the character’s wife told me insightful details about the character. (In my book, the character was not married.)
Interesting! If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be?
I’ve wanted to visit Ireland for years. The pictures I’ve seen and the descriptions I’ve read appeal to me.
I LOVE Ireland, which is one reason why I set my YA paranormal fantasy series there. I think you’d love the Emerald Isle, too! If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose?
I’d have to say the Sacred Emblem and Sacred Journey series because each book is set in a different geographical area, featuring a distinct cultural motif or totem: The Keys: Voice of the Turtle, Christmas in Cahokia: Song of the Owl, and Angels from Ashes: Hour of the Wolf.
It’s time to learn some of your favorites!
Sound:Twilight in the country – the sounds of birds and the rest of nature preparing for the evening
Eye color:Violet
Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!):French
Song:“O Holy Night”
Book:Gone with the Wind
Movie:Under the Tuscan Sun
Cuisine:Tex-Mex
Cookie:Peanut butter
US location:Fort Davis, Texas
Foreign location:Barcelona, Spain
And finally, list your preference from the following choices:
Tea or coffee?Coffee
Cake or pie?Cake
Halloween or Christmas?Christmas
Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes?Nancy Drew
Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters?Jane Austen
A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover?Ghost
English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy?All-American guy
Thanks so much for joining me today, Karen. Best of luck with the book! Speaking of which, here’s a little about it:
Hours after arriving in the Florida Keys to help her cousin Keya create a turtle preserve, Ruth discovers a washed-up body and not one, but two apparitions—Maita, the angry victim’s spirit, and Bart, a swashbuckling ghost. Ruth’s curious ability to connect with the ghosts may help them move on, but how?
Keya is in a probate battle over her turtle-nesting beach. Land-hungry relatives want it bulldozed and developed. Like Ruth, she has a special gift—she can talk to animals. Between Ruth’s help and Keya’s unique ability, they work to save the property, but is it too late?
Can Keya save her beloved turtles? Can Ruth find Maita’s murderer or help Bart solve his 400-year-old mystery? There’s more than meets the eye to Keya’s land. Add in a dashing sailor who believes in her, and Keya may have more than she bargained for…
A peek between the pages:
Conveying this land to the turtles would be my way of leaving the world a better place.” She turned toward Ruth. “Does that make sense?”
Ruth nodded and gazed at Keya as if for the first time. Her cousin’s intentions were clear. “But legally, how can you will the property to the turtles?”
“Easy. I leave it to the Turtle Refuge.” Keya laughed inwardly as they meandered along the beach. “And this is where you come in. When you’re writing the brochure, add a few paragraphs about planned giving and charitable bequests…” Her words broke off as Keya stared as if in a trance.
Ruth looked at her. “What’s wrong?”
Her hand shaking, Keya pointed to a shady patch of beach half hidden by sand dunes. A lifeless hand lay tangled in seaweed, its fingernails broken and bloodied.
Racing behind the sandbanks to help, Ruth skidded to a halt, her heels digging into the sand. A woman’s bloated body lay staring at the sun, her eyes opaque and unseeing. “Do you recognize her?”
“No.” Keya shook her head as the cat gingerly approached, sniffing and meowing. But Earnestine said she smells familiar.”
Author of the Sacred Emblem, Sacred Journey, and Sacred Messenger series, Karen is a best-selling author, motivational keynote speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life. She writes multicultural, offbeat love stories steeped in the supernatural that lift the spirit. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Wanderlust inherent, Karen enjoyed traveling, although loathed changing schools. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Hill Country with her husband Peter and her “mews”—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.
Night of the Owl, the fourth of The Novels of Ravenwood, is now available for preorder. Release day for this time travel romance is October 21, and I’m so excited to share it with you. Preorder your copy today!
And now through October 17, the first three books in The Novels of Ravenwood series are on sale for only 99 cents. This is your chance to catch up on the story before the fourth book’s release!
October is here, and it’s my favorite month of the year. The weather turns chilly, the leaves change color, and I have an excuse to binge-eat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I also get to indulge in all things paranormal and “Halloweeny,” especially because I live in Salem, Massachusetts.
As the wind shakes my windows, I love to curl up with a good book. N. N. Light feels the same way, and they’re hosting a spooktacular giveaway. Sorry…couldn’t resist the Halloween pun. No tricks, just treats for booklovers! Everything from romance to paranormal to fiction is being given away. You can even enter to win one of my medieval romances, Flight of the Raven, the first of The Novels of Ravenwood.
Indulge your inner kid and enter this giveaway. If there’s a particular book or prize you’d like to win, be sure to say which one when you enter via Rafflecopter. Enter below, and good luck!
I’m excited to have a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) here today. Please welcome S. K. Andrews, whose paranormal book, Bay of Darkness, was released yesterday! Let’s see what she has to say…
At what age did you write your first story?
Around eight or nine. In elementary school, we had to write a story. So, I wrote about a mouse who ate ice cream, and ate so much he got bigger. I put my thumb on a black ink pad to make the mouse (early illustrations) and as I kept writing the story, my thumb got lazier. Hence, the bit about the mouse getting fat by the end!
I love it! Which genre was the first to hook you?
Fantasy. My sisters and I would read Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which got us scared and fascinated at the same time.
What was your first published book?
The Pursuit of Acting; Working Actors Share Their Experience and Advice, published by Praeger, and of course, it’s a non-fiction read designed to help student actors.
What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing?
My favorite part of writing is the writing itself, especially after I’ve seen the scene in my head like a movie. I also enjoy researching origins of items, or places that I incorporate into my paranormal stories. It’s exciting to discover historical facts and/or mythological beings.
Yes, history and mythology are fascinating! What are you working on now?
A novella that comes right after Bay of Darkness called, A Kelly Society Christmas. It is another supernatural dilemma that Vivien Kelly and her paranormal investigative team find themselves in, but it is done with humor. Vivien only has three days to do all her Christmas shopping, because she was busy saving the modern world from eternal darkness. So, even though she must help a friend from being dragged to hell, she still needs to get her holiday shopping done, or she won’t have any presents under the tree on Christmas morning. That would truly be a tragedy!
It sure would! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite and why?
It’s tied between two—Half Moon Bay, California, USA & Clonakilty, Ireland. Both of these locations are beach cities and have their own unique creative magic.
I use Irish settings in my young adult series, so Ireland’s magic resonates with me, too. Have you ever dreamed about a character you created?
No, but after I wrote in Neal Harrington (Vivien Kelly’s soulmate in Bay of Darkness) I saw a man in line at Starbucks two days later that looked (and dressed) just like my character! It was kind of freaky!
That’s awesome, and perhaps meant to be! If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be?
Princess Diana.
If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be?
Well, I’m going to stay in 2019 because I love air-conditioning, but I would like to spend time in Paris, just discovering the city. Preferably in April—April in Paris!
If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose?
I would live for one week in a book called Wrapped Up In You. It’s a romantic story in which the daughter of Santa Claus falls in love at the North Pole right before Christmas. I’d play in the snow, become a guest at her wedding, and eat cookies in Santa’s Workshop!
If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request?
My own brownstone on the Upper West Side in New York City.
It’s time to learn some of your favorites!
Sound:Waves rolling onto shore
Eye color:Brown
Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!):Italian
Song: “Once Upon a December” from Anastasia, the animated musical
Book:Zen in The Martial Arts by Joe Hyams
Movie:Scrooge, the musical
TV show:Grimm
Cuisine:Vegetarian Quesadilla, salty tortilla chips with salsa, and a Cadillac margarita
Cookie:Chocolate Chip
US location:Santa Barbara, California
Foreign location:Clonakilty, Ireland
And finally, list your preference from the following choices:
Tea or coffee?Coffee
Cake or pie?Cake
Halloween or Christmas?Halloween
Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes?Sherlock Holmes
Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters?Jane Austen
A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover?Mortal
English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy?All-American Guy
Thanks so much for joining me today. Best of luck with the book! Now, here’s the scoop on Bay of Darkness:
After witnessing her fiancé’s murder and almost dying herself, Vivien Kelly’s mission is to destroy Dagda—a Celtic God turned demon. As a supernatural dark cloud looms over the Sahara, she finds herself drawn to the Northern California town of Half Moon Bay and a new life as a paranormal cleanser. There Vivien finds Dagda’s creatures tormenting the locals. Her own paranormal cleansing team—The Kelly Society— is born, and the race is on when people around her begin to die.
While banishing a banshee, Vivien meets Neal Harrington—a soul partner who can promise true happiness. But when Dagda’s black vapor creates a New World of darkness, her time is up. Can Vivien abandon everyone she loves and succumb to her past life’s barbaric force to defeat the demon? Her actions not only determine her future—but the future of the modern world.
A peek between the pages:
Announcing her presence, Vivien slapped open palms against the bedroom door. Shrieking stopped as the banshee tried to stab into her intuitive power, not even making a dent.
Julie, I’m here to help. Don’t be afraid. After sending her telepathic message, she felt a definite shift. The young girl now had hope.
Sensing another female entity in the bedroom, Vivien tuned in sharper. A spirit connected to the house stood in front of Julie, also protecting her.
“That horrible noise stopped.” Neal eyed the door urgently. “Is that good or bad? I mean, is Julie safe?”
“Yes, she’s safe. I put a protective light around her.”
Heaving a sigh of exhaustion, he rubbed his temple. “Oh, right—the light thing. This is all so weird.” Neal’s head popped up. “No offense.”
“None taken.” She grinned like a debutant about to dance with the coolest boy in school.
Starra Andrews grew up in Laguna Beach, California, body surfing in the Pacific Ocean, writing fantasy stories, and acting on stage. Having been influenced by the powerful scripts of Rod Serling and Richard Matheson from The Twilight Zone, she gravitated toward paranormal stories laden with hope. Writing supernatural tales became her passionate hobby, in between life in the theatre. She loves to sip hazelnut coffee, while reading a riveting ghost story, or while typing up an exciting new chapter of her own. After attaining a B.A. degree in Theatre from University of California, Irvine, and attending LACC Acting Academy, an idea sparked for interviewing actors to help student actors. Her non-fiction book The Pursuit of Acting; Working Actors Share Their Experience and Advice was published by Praeger Publishers/ABC CLIO. In fiction, her heroine, psychic & paranormal cleanser Vivien Kelly and her team are in a race to rid the modern world of deadly Celtic creatures in her book trilogy The Kelly Society. Bay of Darkness, the first book of the series is currently released through the Wild Rose Press. Starra lives in upstate NY with her two cats, Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh.
Judith Sterling 