Book Review: Claire de Lune

 Claire de Lune (Claire de Lune, book 1) by Christine Johnson.

Torn between two destinies.

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf.  As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she finds her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart.  Burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, she will be forced to make a choice that will change her forever.


Deadly secrets and new love.  Claire de Lune is a suspenseful paranormal read with a fresh new approach to werewolf mythology.  Turning sixteen brings one surprise that changes everything for Claire.  As she begins to feel the wolf inside her stir, she learns that she is a werewolf and that her mother has kept her true identity secret from her.  Discovering that she has been living a lie is difficult, but so is young love.  Claire is falling in love with a boy who loves her in return, but in a cruel twist of fate he happens to be the son of a prominent werewolf hunting scientist who has vowed to eliminate werewolves once and for all.  A paranormal coming of age story filled with mystery, young love, and heart pounding suspense.

I highly recommend Claire de Lune (Claire de Lune, book 1) to readers of paranormal suspense, young adult, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and especially to fans of werewolf fiction.

**I have just finished reading Firelight by Sophie Jordan (review coming soon) and found many similarities between these two books.  Readers who enjoyed reading Firelight will likely also enjoy Claire de Lune.**

Source: This book was purchased by me for review.


Claire de Lune on Amazon.
Claire de Lune on Goodreads.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!  I hope you are all having a wonderful Halloween weekend. 

Last chance to enter my Halloween Monster Giveaway: Part I and Halloween Monster Giveaway: Part II.  Our On the Soul of a Vampire giveaway is also ending October 31st at midnight EST, the Crimson Stained giveaway ends November 1st, and the Awakened: Guardian Legacy giveaway ends November 4th.

Guest Author Interview: Betsy Phillips

Please welcome today's guest author Betsy Phillips!  Betsy is the author of A City of Ghosts: Stories.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Betsy:  I don't know, honestly. I think I probably started writing stories shortly after I learned to write sentences. I know I was writing elaborate alternative histories of middle school for my friends while we were in said middle school, so definitely by then, I was writing to entertain other people.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Betsy:   I had an unusual upbringing--I'm the daughter of a Methodist minister. So, in a way, what brought me to the paranormal genre is that I was born into it. I don't mean that to be flip. I learned a great deal about language and ritual and symbolism that I think serves me well in my writing. But it's also true that my earliest and most prolonged exposure to not just stories, but to a world-view, was one in which paranormal happenings were a matter of course and paranormal stories were told and retold as Truth or ways to get at the truth.

I've wandered pretty far from the way I was raised, but I still think the world is a strange and mysterious place, where things happen we don't always understand. And I still think that stories--fiction--are a great way to tell the truth about the world.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
 
Betsy:   I would love to be able to shape-shift into a dog. I wonder all the time about my dog. I mean, one of the great things about owning a dog is spending a lot of time with an animal that wants to spend time with you and is nothing like you. Yes, we can communicate, at some basic level. But there are so many times when I can tell she sniffs something on the air or when she is running through the yard, when I know she is experiencing something I will never know. I just wonder what it would be like to smell or hear like she does, to know the world like she does.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
 
Betsy:   Who doesn't love a good ghost story? Some people have been a little off-put when they hear that A City of Ghosts  is a collection ghost stories set in and around Nashville, because they worry all the stories will have to do with country music. And, it's true that, if you come to Nashville and take one of the ghost tours, you're going to hear a lot about ghosts that have to do with country music.  But the thing is, if you live in Nashville, the music industry is just one more place people work. It's important to the city, but it's not the only thing going on here. So, I figured, well, okay, we have those ghosts, but what kinds of ghosts should we have?

Just asking that question got me thinking a lot about why people tell ghost stories, what the act of telling those stories does for a person, what those stories are trying to convey. I think, in most cases, ghost stories are ways for us to talk about things we can't otherwise talk about. So, I spent a lot of time thinking about the things the city doesn't really talk about, the parts of its past it seems to be actively trying to forget.  And those were the things I built my stories around.

So, I think my book will appeal to history buffs and people who know Nashville, but it is, first and foremost, a collection of ghost stories. And I think anyone who likes to be creeped out is going to like them.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Betsy:  This was not an easy question, since A City of Ghosts is a collection of short stories and there’s really only one recurring character—the Devil. So, who could play an incredibly charismatic, incredibly sexy, violent rat bastard whose age is hard to pin down? I don’t know if he’s the greatest actor, but I would kind like to see Brian Austin Green in the role. I think he has the right mix of charm and hardness.

A City of Ghosts: Stories by Betsy Phillips.

No one knows for sure why Nashville has so many ghosts. Maybe it's because the place has been inhabited for 13,000 years. Maybe it's the lingering memories of the Civil War. Or maybe it's just because this is where the Devil keeps a summer home. Whatever the reason, this is the place where the living and the dead linger too long in each others' company. Babies long since dead still cry in church parking lots only to be comforted by current parishioners. A friendly neighbor continues to cook breakfast years after his body is under ground. And something, not animal, not human, not alive, stalks living prey in the old tunnels underneath the downtown. In tales that range from spine-tingling to heart-breaking, A CITY OF GHOSTS brings to life an alternative, haunted history of Nashville. 

Thank you Betsy for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Betsy Phillips and her books, please visit her website.

Book Review: The Haunted

The Haunted (The Hollow, book 2) by Jessica Verday.

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with, Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow determined to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into schoolwork, perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be able to help her get over Caspian once and for all.

**Please note that the above is a partial synopsis, since the one provided on Goodreads and inside the book jacket contain huge spoilers for the first book in the series**

There is a darkness hiding in the town of Sleepy Hollow.  What is the evil lurking in the shadows of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery?  Is it connected to the legend made famous by Washington Irving or is there something else afoot in Sleepy Hollow?  The Haunted is the second book in The Hollow series and is remarkably darker than the first book in the series.  Abbey is teetering on the brink of insanity and doubts what she has seen, but what her mind doubts her heart continues to feel.  Will her love be enough to save her or in the end will her heart damn her soul forever?  A contemplative read touched with the chill of the grave and the longing of the heart. 

I highly recommend The Haunted (The Hollow, book 2) to readers of paranormal suspense, young adult, fantasy, urban fantasy, and especially to fans of paranormal romance.  The Hollow series is an excellent read for the Halloween season.

Please click here to read my review of The Hollow (The Hollow, book 1) by Jessica Verday.  For a chance to win a copy of The Haunted from the Book Depository enter my Halloween Monster Giveaway (ends 10/31).

Source: This book was purchased by me for review.


The Haunted on Amazon.
The Haunted on Goodreads.

Ghost in Trouble Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Dwayne from Girls Without a Bookshelf the winner of our Ghost in Trouble Giveaway!

Didn't win?  There is still one more hardcover copy of Ghost in Trouble up for grabs in my Halloween Monster Giveaway.

** Random.org used to select winners for all From the Shadows giveaways **

Teaser Tuesdays: Glass Houses

"Run first," Shane said.  "Mourn later."
It was the perfect motto for Morganville.

 p.g 172, Glass Houses by Rachel Caine.

Glass Houses is the first book in The Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine. This is a fun young adult, urban fantasy series.  I can't wait to read book two!  Look for my review of Glass Houses later this week.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Guest Author Interview: Rae Lori

Please welcome today's guest author Rae Lori!  Rae is the author of Before Dawn Breaks, Cimmerian City, Uthiel's Embrace, A Kiss of Ashen Twilight, and Within the Shadows of Mortals.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Rae:  I began writing when I was about 10 years old. It was sort of on a dare to myself. I hadn’t thought about writing until I received a particular Disney Adventures magazine in the mail. The Halloween issue asked for scary story submissions and I decided to enter just for fun. I didn’t win but the writing bug caught me from then on I haven’t turned back since. I dabbled in short stories, plays, screenplays anytime an idea hit me. It was fun learning and I corresponded with many editors over the years who gave me wonderful advice on strengthening my craft.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Rae:   Growing up, I loved science fiction, fantasy and some horror (psychological). Besides Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Anne Rice really made me see vampires in a whole new light. I also loved David Lynch's ability to add fantasy and paranormal in an undercurrent of normality. Mixed with reading scary stories as a kid, I gravitated toward writing my own paranormal stories with fantasy and SF and it’s stuck with me since.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Rae:   I'd probably choose Fae. I love fae mythology and the powers they usually have are pretty cool. I choose one with wings who are helpful to humans like the Aziza and hold immense power.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Rae:   I think they'll enjoy my Ashen Twilight series if they enjoy paranormal contemporary fantasies mixed with history and romance. It has vampires, fae, shifters and other goodies with a story that sweeps across centuries. I also have some side stories that give a little background on some of the characters and how they relate to one another. They are available on my website here.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Rae:  For Jace Archane, I always envisioned Kyle Schmid. His portrayal of Henry Fitzroy inspired much of Jace's character and I always loved the idea of a vampire confident in who he is and what he was. It counteracts all the brooding vampires that were popular for so long.

For Ariya, I always saw Megalyn Echikunwoke or Christie Laing with dark curly hair. They have an ethereal beauty that fits with Ariya’s physical appearance, mixed with the elegance and grace fit for a queen.

Within the Shadows of Mortals (Ashen Twilight, #2) by Rae Lori.

For centuries, a group of Nightwalkers, Lycans and Shifter Elves have lived within the shadows of mortals to ensure their survival…until an old foe emerged again to bring the realm of the Fae into the mortal world.

After Liam Blakedon’s death, a string of events unfolds. Ariya is now an Aziza faerie Queen settling with Jace Archane, a Regent in the House of Blood, in the Aziza realm. The houses continue to move west after fighting for their survival against the elemental led by Liam Blakedon, a former guard in the Archane house.

A new beginning is on the horizon until blood is spilled on their lands once again...  


Thank you Rae for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Rae Lori and her books, please visit her website.

October Trix-n-Treatz: Alice in Wereland

E.J. is participating in the October Trix-n-Treatz event at vvb32 reads with a new short story piece themed Alice in Wereland.  Take a trip down the wererabbit hole with Alice...you may be surprised who she encounters.

Curiouser and curiouser!

Have you joined in the fabulous October Trix-n-Treatz festivities at vvb32 reads?  Check out the full schedule of events for information on giveaways and guest features.

While visiting vvb32 reads be sure to take the Get Spooky Challenge and enter for a chance to win a copy of She Smells the Dead!

** images belong to Strangeling.  Click here to enter vvb32 read's Strangeling Print giveaway.**

Guest Author Interview: Ednah Walters + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Ednah Walters!  Ednah is the author of Awakened.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Ednah:   I started writing in 1998. Yeah, I know, eons ago. I had just finished my PhD in chemistry and was expecting my third child. I had also decided to be a stay-at-home mother, major undertaking, but switching from academia to baby talk was so-oo hard. I felt like I was losing myself. Anyone who tells you that being a stay-at-home is easy is lying. So I started to write to find some balance in my life. I started with children’s books…you know, picture books with no pictures, lol. I wrote them for my children and read to them. They loved them. After several years, I thought why not send them to publishers? They hated them. Rejection after rejection…the bane of a writer’s life. Then I tried my hand at romance, something I’ve read since my teen years (psss, they only had kissing at the end of the stories then, no sex, very tame). That didn’t go well either. Finally I switched to YA fantasy.

I’m still learning to be the best writer I can be. Online classes and seminars on writing helped me a lot. Despite my love for reading and an active imagination, chemists are good at writing technical papers, not elegant prose. I call myself a work-in-progress as a writer.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?
 
Ednah:  I’ve always loved paranormal, especially romance. I’d read a lot of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books, J.R. Ward and L.A. Banks vampire books. Of course, I loved Tolkien’s work, Harry Potter series. There’s no limit to the world you can create in the paranormal genre. It is exciting to see what your characters can get away with (mwahahaha…).

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
 
Ednah:  Psi power like the kind Awakened main character Lil has—the power to change people’s perception of things. Imagine the ability to turn negative traits around…make a criminal stop, abuser stop abusing, abused people not get traumatized by the past. Yeah, I know people have free will and I’m a do-gooder, fair-minded, justice-is-blind Libran but hey, the world would be such a better place…lol.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Ednah:   Awakened has a strong female protagonist, romance, action and lots of danger. There’re myriad of characters different readers can identify with too. I tend to think of Awakened as a coming-of-age story. Who doesn’t remember how puberty hit us hard and the changes that came with it. Lil reaches the age the Nephilim consider puberty with a bang. She has powers to deal with, her first love who may or may not be the right person for her, responsibilities that are so overwhelming she must rise to the challenge or get burned. Readers will root for her to succeed.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Ednah:  Hmm, that’s a toughie. The girls must be warriors yet feminine and the guys…ooh the guys must be smoking hot. Here goes;

Lil…I’d go with someone tough, tall, slanted eyes, crazy red hair (wigs might do)…Emmy Rossum (Dragon Ball Evolution), tough chick.

Bran…yummy bod, broody, tough…who else but Jared Padalecki (Sam from Supernatural. I love the Winchester boys)

Kim….Tahyana Tozzi got our Kim down to the gorgeous hair and ice-princess persona (Mutant in X-men original Wolverine, Emma Frost aka The White Queen)

Isadora…tough, no nonsense Zoe Saldana. Izzy’s hair is always in a ponytail, she’s the mediator.

Sykes…ooh, the charming and girl-magnet Sykes…Justine Hartley (Oliver/Green Arrow, Smallville…love him)

Remy…Jesse William, gorgeous eyes, strong silent guy (Young Doctor in Grey’s Anatomy…too bad McDreamy is already taken…those eyes)

Awakened (Guardian Legacy, #1) by Ednah Walters.

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons, but no one told her she is not supposed to fall in love with one.

Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware she's a Guardian—a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. But when she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers.  But Bran has a secret that can destroy their growing relationship. He's part demon. But in her heart, Lil knows Bran is not evil. So when her grandfather is kidnapped by a powerful nature-bender and Bran is the only one who knows where he's being kept, Lil convinces the other Guardians to trust him, not knowing her grandfather is just the bait. And the truth that she discovers in the demonic enclave may just destroy everything she believes in, unless she makes the right choice—love and sacrifice.

Thank you Ednah for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Ednah Walters and her books, please visit her website.

 ** Awakened: Guardian Legacy Giveaway **

We are giving away one signed copy of Awakened by Ednah Walters, two Guardian Legacy notepads, two Guardian Legacy t-shirts (size medium), and two Guardian Legacy pens!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  US/Canada/Mexico mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends November 4th midnight EST.

Extra entries:
+1 Join Ednah Walters on Facebook

Crossroads Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to Yadkny and Carol L. the winners of our Crossroads International Giveaway!

*All winners are selected using Random.org*

Guest Author Interview: Quinn Keitt + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Quinn Keitt!  Quinn is the author of Crimson Stained.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Quinn:  I started writing ever since Kindergarden! lol
At the school I went to they were very, very persistent about forcing us kids to write in our journals every single day. So, I've been used to writing for long periods of time for a long time. Actually, I've kept every single journal I've ever had from my first day of school. Going back and reading, or at least trying to read, all of the stuff that I was writing about back in those days is pretty hilarious really.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Quinn:   To tell you the truth, I was getting sick of all the Twilight hype so I said to myself: "Self, you should write a paranormal novel too!" So I buckled down and started writing yet another story that I had no idea would be my first ever novel. It took only two months to write but it took at least a year and a half to get it all done with editing to finish. And still, it took a few more revising tries to get it the way I want it.
In all honesty though, I've had a little love for the Vampires and Werewolves, it just took a kick in the backside to get me going and do something about it.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Quinn:  Oh, I would totally want to fly. Being able to live forever and transform into a super strong creature would be...cool, but to be honest I need to be able to fly. Whenever I get into a fix all I would have to do is say "up, up and away!" And wham. All my problems are over.
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. :)

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Quinn:   To not sound cliche, my book(s) draw readers in because I go down that route that people ask about, but is never brought up in other books. My characters are the people you talk to every day, they are your friends, your family, and you go through 'it' with them. My books are new but familiar and fun to read and I can't wait for you all to enjoy them.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Quinn:  My day job involves a lot of entertainment individuals so, I have a few choice castings for some of my characters in my books. But I have no idea who I would choose, celebrity wise, for my books. However, if I had to hold an audition I would be right in the middle of it, front row and center behind the table. Whoever would play my characters would have to meet my eye; these are my 'people' only I can know what they're suppose to look like, you know?

Crimson Stained by Quinn Keitt.

Lacey was pretty happy with her current leisure existence despite the few complaints here and there. Living on her own rocked her socks. However, while coming home from work one night and based on sheer awful luck, she witnessed a disturbing attack on a young and rather eye-catching youth. Thinking the worse was over she continued to go about her daily business. That is, until the boy she saw sprawled out on the bloody street shows up pressed against her balcony window. Obviously something is wrong. This boy should be dead. He is dead. So why then is he stalking her, in the nude? Does he want to start his own army of creatures of the night or does he feel some kind of enticement to her that is unexplainable? Lacey will soon come to and that not all legendary stories are true, when it comes to being involved with a Vampire.


Thank you Quinn for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

** Crimson Stained Giveaway **

We are giving away three copies of Crimson Stained by Quinn Keitt!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact the winner).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends November 1st midnight EST.

Guest Author Interview: Krisi Keley + Giveaway!

Please welcome today's guest author Krisi Keley!  Krisi is the author of On the Soul of a Vampire.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Krisi:   I wrote my first full-length novel when I was eleven.  It was a story about the female lead singer of a rock band who couldn’t deal with the stresses involved in sudden fame.  I tried submitting it to a few publishers, unaware at that age of the “must have agent” rule and, of course, received the standard “we don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts” letters.  That ended my fiction writing career for quite a number of years, but that first story did inspire many years of writing poetry and song lyrics.  On the Soul of a Vampire’s first draft was written fifteen years later, but after a few “a bit deep” and “awfully soul-searching” responses from literary agents, fiction writing again got put on the back burner while I attempted other goals.  Fast forward fifteen more years, a theology degree and many life experiences as the basis for the book’s rewrite, and On the Soul is published.  Which seems to indicate that if there’s a writer in you, that word person is going to make him or herself heard eventually, no matter what other life circumstances may try to intervene!

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Krisi:   I’ve always been a big fan of the horror and supernatural genres because they essentially examine metaphysical questions:  How are good and evil defined?  Is there more to life than the material things we see with our eyes?  What do our myths, our dreams, our fears have to say about human nature?  Stephen King and William Peter Blatty have been hugely inspirational for me and Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles directly inspired my writing of On the Soul.  Her literary style of looking at deeply spiritual concerns through the vampire legend was the catalyst for my own ideas on the subject.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be?
 
Krisi:   I honestly never wished for a supernatural talent of any kind, I think because I believe there is so much we human beings already possess but simply haven’t tapped into yet.  But if I had to choose, I’d say it would have to be being what I think is called an “empath.”  It would be painful to be that in tune with everything another feels, but enlightening too, and it seemingly couldn’t fail to make one a better person.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Krisi:   Although On the Soul is a vampire story meant to entertain, it’s also a human story.  It’s about a person who had hopes and dreams, who wanted to fulfill his purpose in life, but because of many circumstances beyond his control and being forced to make choices he didn’t, and often still doesn’t, fully understand, these hopes and dreams are all but annihilated.  Through another, he learns that hope and faith are stronger than he could have imagined and that love and forgiveness are possible no matter how terrible the mistake.  I think readers will find comfort in the story and, I hope too, be inspired with a greater sense of the miracle and mystery of human nature and the human soul that this very different view of the vampire offers.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
 
Krisi:  Well, despite the fact that there are a lot of actors I love and whom I think would do an awesome job with the roles, if I were casting for On the Soul, I would choose unknowns.  In part because the two main characters, Valéry and Angelina, have such distinctive voices that it seems it would retain their believability as real people better if the actors playing them weren’t already well-known, and in part because I’d love it if the story could offer a chance to a new performer looking to build a resumé.  Knowing how hard it is to break into any artistic field, it would be great if I could do something to give someone their first opportunity.

On the Soul of a Vampire by Krisi Keley.

For some it takes a lifetime to discover their raison d'être. Imagine searching for eight centuries. In 1997 Philadelphia, 800 year old vampire Valéry Castellane comes face to face with his reason to be, in the person of Angelina Lacroix, a young mortal woman whose understanding of immortality is about to change all he's known as truth and which will take him, and his readers, on a journey into the human soul. Discovering a mortal who not only senses his presence, but also somehow knows his name, Valéry becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of how this might be. Confronting the girl, after learning she has knowledge of his entire existence, he is stunned and frustrated when Angelina seems more intent on convincing him that he's not the soulless monster of myth than she is with providing an explanation. Unable to take her life or give her immortality, Valéry embarks on a journey with Angelina that doesn't only take them from Philadelphia to his childhood home in the Provençal Alps, but on a journey into his greatest hopes and dreams, fears and disappointments, and into the strange and frightening past that shaped him. A novel about faltering faith and never-ending hope, On the Soul of a Vampire will not only alter everything you think you know about vampires, it will change the way you see your very soul.

Thank you Krisi for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Krisi Keley and her books, please visit her website.

** On the Soul of a Vampire International Giveaway **

Win a copy of On the Soul of a Vampire, and a t-shirt, mug, poster, and bookmarks featuring beautifully haunting On the Soul of a Vampire artwork.


To enter, please leave a comment with your email address.  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!  Giveaway ends October 31st midnight EST.

Guest Author Interview: Carolyn Hart + Giveaway

Please welcome today's amazingly prolific guest author Carolyn Hart!  Carolyn is the author the Death on Demand series (including Death on Demand, Design for Murder, Something Wicked, Honeymoon With Murder, A Little Class on Murder, Deadly Valentine, The Christie Caper, Southern Ghost, Mint Julep Murder, Yankee Doodle Dead, White Elephant Dead, Sugarplum Dead, April Fool Dead, Engaged to Die, Murder Walks the Plank, Death of the Party, Dead Days of Summer, Death Walked In, Dare to Die, Laughed 'Til He Died), the Henry O series (including Dead Man's Island, Scandal in Fair Haven, Death in Lovers' Lane, Death in Paradise, Death on the River Walk, Resort to Murder, Set Sail for Murder), Flee from the Past, A Settling of Accounts, Escape from Paris, The Rich Die Young, Death by Surprise, Castle Rock, Skulduggery, The Devereux Legacy, Brave Hearts, Letter from Home, The Secret of the Cellars, Dangerous Summer, No Easy Answers, Rendezvous in Veracruz, Danger, High Explosives!, and the Bailey Ruth Raeburn paranormal mystery series (including Ghost at Work, Merry, Merry Ghost, Ghost in Trouble).

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Carolyn:   My first book, The Secret of the Cellars, was a juvenile mystery published in 1964. GHOST IN TROUBLE will be my 45th published novel.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Carolyn:   I've always loved ghost stories, especially Thorne Smith's Topper series and the standalone ghost thrillers by Manning Coles. I always love to see Noel Coward's hilarious Blithe Spirit.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be?

Carolyn:   The ability to appear and disappear at will.

Why?

If used with good intentions, the ability to overhear conversations could provide amazing insights. Often we take the actions of others at face value and perceive a slight or threat when none was intended. In fact, hovering unseen might remind us in a very positive way that everything is not always all about us.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Carolyn:   Bailey Ruth Raeburn, a gorgeous redhead, is lively, impetuous, eager, and kind. She loves beautiful clothes and Oklahoma and cats and people. My hope is she will entertain readers while solving an intriguing puzzle.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Carolyn:  Bailey Ruth Raeburn and Reba McEntire are both from Oklahoma and they both love to sing. Reba McEntire would be magnificent as an impetuous redheaded ghost who returns to earth to help people in trouble.

Ghost in Trouble (Bailey Ruth, #3) by Carolyn Hart

When Bailey Ruth Raeburn passed over into the great beyond, she was delighted to discover her sleuthing days would last an eternity. Joining Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, she uses her unique advantages as a ghost—sometimes you see her, sometimes you don't—to help those in need and ensure the wicked get their just deserts.  However, on this latest mission, Bailey Ruth finds it more difficult than ever to keep up with her boss Wiggins's rules for good spirit deportment. Not only is the woman she is supposed to save determined to thwart Bailey Ruth's good intentions at every turn, she just so happens to be one of Bailey Ruth's oldest enemies. Not that that should matter to one of Heaven's best and brightest emissaries, but still, there is only so much a person can put up with—living or dead.  But solving Bailey Ruth's toughest case yet means managing a recalcitrant charge, a fraudulent medium, a mother's heartbreak, old passions and new, and a telltale rawhide dog bone. Heaven help her!

Thank you Carolyn for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Carolyn Hart and her books, please visit her website.

** Ghost in Trouble Giveaway **

There are two chances to win a copy of Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart this month at From the Shadows!  One copy is available in my huge Halloween Monster Giveaway here.  The second copy is available below.  Enter both giveaways and double your chances to win!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so that I may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is for US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends October 26th midnight EST.

Halloween Monster Giveaway: Part II

Ready for more Halloween giveaways?  Today kicks off part two of the Halloween Monster Giveaway at From the Shadows.  Part II is like the evil twin of Part I.  Haven't entered the original Halloween Monster Giveaway at From the Shadows?  Click here to go to the post, read about the amazing prizes, and fill out the form to enter.

** Halloween Monster Giveaway: Part II **

To enter, please fill out this FORM.  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow).  Giveaway ends October 31st midnight EST.
US Prizes:

Clockwork Angel Prize Pack:  Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (hardcover), poster, journal, and bookmarks.

Werewolves and Vampires Prize Pack:  Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson (hardcover) and Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (hardcover).

Zombies and Vampires Prize Pack:  Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (hardcover) and Notes from a Totally Lame Vampire by Tim Collins (hardcover).


International Prize:

To celebrate She Smells the Dead now being available at The Book Depository E.J. is offering one copy of She Smells the Dead internationally wherever The Book Depository ships.


** From the Shadows uses Random.org to select winners for all giveaways **