May your Halloween be all you wished for. @rebeccajvickery @KMNbooks #halloween

FROM BOOK TO FILM - The Long Journey @Linda Swift @Rebecca J. Vickery

November has always been my "least favorite" month. Odd then, that November has become such a milestone in my life. It all began in November of  2012 at Maiden Alley Cinema in Paducah, KY.  That weekend I attended a film festival viewing of the Hank Cochran Documentary created by Greg J. Welsch and Wes Pryor (who happens to be my son-in-law).

Later that afternoon, as Wes and his wife Kaye were leaving my house, Wes asked me if I would be interested in having Reel Cool Films (his independent company based in Nashville, TN) adapt This Time Forever into a film. He said he wanted to try making a drama  and thought this story would be  perfect. I had given my daughter a copy of the book but didn't know he had read it so I was taken aback at his suggestion.  I asked for time to think about his offer and said I'd let him know that evening when they returned.

I had misgivings, not because I doubted that he and Greg could do it, but because he was "family" and everyone knows you are not supposed to mix business and family together. And wait, he hadn't said that Greg was willing to do this. So was he? When they returned, I told him I would accept his offer if Greg would write the screenplay as I had read some of his fiction and was very impressed with his work. The following day, at the second showing of the Hank Cochran doc, I gave a copy of This Time Forever to Greg and the waiting began.

Greg liked the story and the adaption from book to screenplay began. Greg, Wes, and I met once in Nashville to discuss the story. We discussed the characters and I was pleased that Greg seemed to understand my characters as well as I did. In November 2013, Greg sent a copy of the screenplay to me for approval. I was gratified that he had left so much of the dialogue intact and had kept the essence of the story I had written. He had added a couple of scenes that I wished I had thought of myself to include in the book.

Beginning in January,  things began to move ahead quickly. Frequent planning meetings were held to discuss ever phase of making the film. An antebellum mansion  was required and many locations were investigated before the perfect place was found that fit low-budget requirements . Decisions had to be made about how many characters would be professionals and how many volunteers, then casting followed.  Creating and/or collecting costumes, including soldiers' uniforms was necessary. Luckily, Wes has a mom who is a professional seamstress/clothes designer, and a wife who is a professional bargain shopper.  By accident (or fate?) Wes met a man who was a Civil War reenactor and he became the film's authority on weapons as well as bringing together a group of reenactors for a day of filming. People were chosen to operate sound and cameras, then a music score was created. I was kept updated while all of this activity was taking place behind the scenes (pun intended) and I was scarcely able to control my impulse to shout it out to the world.

And finally, in November 2014, the news was shared on Facebook and I began the posts that continued throughout the actual filming and beyond. I was onsite for five days of the nine day shoot, beginning with the first day. I was asked recently what was the highlight of the whole experience for me. My answer was when I arrived the first day at the mansion and while still outside, saw Clarissa "float" out the door in her white filmy nightgown  that she wore in the final scene. (I learned that scenes are not shot in sequence but according to availability of actors and best use of props). I choked up trying to express what it felt like to see my characters come to life, first Clarissa, then Ruane, then Malcolm.

There was a "letdown lull" for me when the excitement of filming was over.  A lot of  professional work was going on as scenes were put together, coordinated with sound, music, lighting, and other activities too complicated for me to describe.  Then I had an opportunity, along with a few other people, to view the "rough"  of what had been put together. And in late October there was a Sneak Preview of the film at Columbus-Belmont State Park Civil War Reenactment weekend. In November 2015, I sat in Maiden Alley Cinema once again, this time viewing Clarissa's War on the big screen for the first time.  It was the second equally awesome film-related experience for me to suddenly realize that my Civil War book had become a film and a theater filled with people were watching the story I originally wrote .

Another waiting period began while decisions concerning the next step were debated. Would other film festivals be entered? Would the film be shown in theaters in appropriate locations unrelated to festivals? How would DVDs be produced? Would it be available through VIMEO? Wes and Greg decided to enter the Nashville Film-Con in 2016.  A fortunate decision. Through a connection made at this venue, the film was brought to the attention of  Dreamscape Media who will make it available to libraries and on Amazon, with distribution possibilities beyond my imagination. And so in  November 2016 the last minute tweaks are being made to the film, the  official copyrights and other contractual red tape are being finalized and Clarissa's War will be on its way. It has taken four years to arrive at this point, which I am told is typical for an independent film. Sometimes things have moved along so fast my head was spinning and then there have been long waiting  periods that seemed to last forever. Four years have passed since this journey began and who knows what November 2017 will bring but I believe this is not an ending, but another beginning.

P.S. My son-in-law and I managed to avoid the forewarned pitfalls of mixing family and business so all is well. And  he even assigned me a minor role with a speaking part. If you see the film, look for Mother Burke. I will say, "Yes, dear, I know." (Wes said I was perfect for the part as he has heard me say those words many times.)

Thank you for reliving this journey with me today. I hope you will want to view the film when you have an opportunity. 

Visit me anytime at my website. (now being renovated)

http://www.lindaswift.net/

Chat with me on Facebook any day.

https://www.facebook.com/linda.swift.359

Check out my work on my Amazon page.

https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Swift/e/B004PGXCTQ

For more information on  Clarissa's War visit this link:

http://www.clarissaswar.com/clarissaswar.com/Home.html

Find me here again next month.

http://onceuponaword1.blogspot.com/

Snippet Sunday #4: Day of the Dead ~ Dia de los Muertos

Daelyn Morgana takes us beyond the realm... #ParanormalPleasures #grimreaper @KMNbooks @rebeccajvickery

Let's give Daelyn Morgana a warm welcome! Her debut tale, Embermyst, is featured in Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romances and she's here today to chat with the readers. 

Karen: Daelyn, please tell the readers a little bit about yourself. 

Daelyn: Hello there. I'm Daelyn Morgana, obviously, and I'm a young, aspiring author with an introvert's complex, a renegade cowgirl's heart, and a love of all things dark and eerie. My mind's just a wee bit twisted, but that's where the fun begins. For as long as I can remember, I have been writing tales and harvesting plot bunnies. From the first ever attempt I took at a novel, Money From Mars, with my neighbor when I was about seven, till now when I cannot get enough ideas and inspiration. Most of which love to travel down that dark and eerie path in my head.

My greatest passions in reading and writing are dark fantasy and adventure, with a hint of paranormal here and there. As a night owl, my favorite time to write and read is during the cover of darkness when the world is silent and I can escape reality. There's just something about the night and the moon that draws me forth from the mask of daylight. When I'm not writing or slaving away at the soul-sucking day job, I  love to show jump in horseback riding, sing, do archery, and enjoy the great outdoors. I live in a quiet part of Western Pennsylvania and one day I hope to publish the series I have been working on that is my heart and soul. Until that day comes, you can find some of my free stories on my Wattpad account.

Karen: Tell us your latest news. Do you have any current projects you're working on?

Daelyn: Oh there is always a current project to be working on. Or an old one, or a brand new one, or... You get the picture. The plot bunnies never end. Right now I am working on the first novel of my Dark Heir series, Fated to Darkness. It's a dark fantasy story that, as stated above, is my heart and soul. I'm very close to finishing the first draft of it after almost two years of working on it, but the world it builds has been brewing and living inside my head since I was very, very young – probably about four or five. This series has been a long time coming, and I am beyond excited to be so close to finishing the first novel of it. My plan is to have the first draft and a rough draft concordance finished by the end of 2016 so that I may edit it and start Book 2 next year.

I also do a flash fiction piece each week based off a prompt from P.T. Wyant's blog, Novel Notes, that gets posted to my blog and my Wattpad account. I call them Shards, for they are simply Shards of Imagination -- which is the name of the book I post them in on my Wattpad account.

Besides those two constant projects right now, there's numerous other projects brewing or half started in the background, begging and pleading for my attention. A couple other novels started, a short story I've been re-editing slowly, new ideas for new novels or short stories... It never ends, but if I listed all those, this would go on forever, so I will spare you that peek into my mind.

Karen: What is the name of your story and what inspired you to write this tale for the Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romance Collection?

Daelyn: My story within Paranormal Pleasures is titled Embermyst. The inspiration for this one actually came from a couple different places combined. The world of Embermyst formed from a Wednesday Word photo prompt on P.T. Wyant's blog. It had originally become one of the flash fiction pieces I had written. However, when I first wrote the world, it held different characters, and a different time frame, and a different meaning and plot line. The idea of my main character's love story in here was pulled from multiple avenues in my mind. Parts of it came from a good friend and author, Cybelle, who I owe the plot line of a world between life and death too. Other details came from my own inspiration, beliefs, or things I have heard and read that have stuck in my head. Somehow I managed to weave all of them together into this tale, which is even more mind boggling to me because I managed to do while I was at work. Without the light bulb inspiration P.T. and Cybelle provided my mind with though, the realm of Embermyst never would have been born.

Blurb for Embermyst:

As the God of the Afterlife, Death has grown accustomed to his dreary duty until he meets an unlikely soul: an empowered woman named Morticia. She was living with a big secret in a world full of fear before an exorcism gone wrong landed her in his realm.
 
Was it a twist of the Fates?
 
Death didn't think so.
 
While she hovers between the mortal plane and the land of the dead, can he convince her of the legends of the divine, claiming she is his one perfect Mate? Or will the promise hanging around her neck cause her to return to the land of the living and the man that failed her?

Karen: When you were a child, what paranormal story intrigued you the most? 

Daelyn: When I was a child... Oh geez. That's a hard question. If I had to choose, I would probably say the Legend of Sleepy Hollow intrigued me the most. I've always loved horses, so that story automatically caught my eye with having a shadowy dark horse. Something about the Headless Horsemen always kept drawing me back to the story as well, maybe it was the eerie and dark nature to it, his legend. I love legends, and his just stuck in my head. I used to listen to the story on tape every year at Halloween when I would decorate. I still do.

Karen:What do you think makes a good paranormal story?

Daelyn: What makes a good paranormal story? Oh. That's another tough question. Well, there has to be a good spookiness or eerie nature to something paranormal to be really hair raising and intriguing. Obviously the plot line and characters are what really make a story in my opinion, if you can relate to them or they can seem so real. For paranormal though, I think the eerie nature and the originality of what you are doing is what makes a good story. A lot of werewolf and vampire stories have become so cliché and overdone in the paranormal category, always the same kind of plot. And when people think paranormal, that seems to be the go to beings used anymore. So I think now it's to have something original and unique if they involve those kinds of beings to make it really good. My story holds neither being, I took Embermyst a whole other route to avoid the clichés, but after all the hype of paranormal creatures being so popular and with straight track lines of what kind of character and storyline they have, I believe it has to be the uniqueness and originality of the story. You have to the eerie and spooky aspect to it as well though or it's just not a true paranormal.

Karen: What is your favorite paranormal movie or book?

Daelyn: Now that's a question you cannot ask me. Who can really pick their favorite book or movie anyways? I never can, there's just too many to choose from, but I shall pick one that has stood out to me. I'm not much of a movie watcher, I refuse to watch a movie if it's based off a book until I have read the book first. I'm not one for spooky or scary movies either, so I'm going to settle on picking a book. Or rather a series.

One of my favorites would have to be the Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer. It is a werewolf character story, but it has an original twist to it that stood out to me. I suppose they'd rather call themselves shapeshifters to wolves instead of werewolves, though. Instead of expecting the antagonists to be vampires as most stories do, the shapeshifters are facing a witch's war and are caught between it. To me that was the uniqueness to it that made it stand out and made it one of my favorites.

Or, crap, maybe I should have picked the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton. Now that is an original and eerie tale of mythological creatures! I highly recommend that one. All sorts of creatures and mythology were woven together in those books and they are so good. Yep, I changed my mind, this one is my favorite.

Karen: What makes you interested in the genre your write?

Daelyn: Hmmm... That's another tough question that's going to take some thought. Well, I've always loved the dark and eerie things in life, so I am naturally drawn to writing them as well. I've always lived inside a fantasy land in my head since my imagination spent most of my life brewing and shaping the world of my Dark Heir series, so again I'm naturally drawn to writing fantasy with hints of paranormal. I've always loved what is seen as legend or impossible. Like magic. Or mythical creatures. I love to let my mind drift to worlds were they are real and have a chance to play with and write them, to explore the unknown, mythical, and magical. That is why I love to write what I do, for a chance to taste the parts of the life that reality says doesn't exist.

Karen: Please share an except with us. I'm sure the readers are anxious to read a snippet.

Daelyn: This excerpt comes from Part One of Embermyst, where my two characters, Death and Morticia, have begun to really talk after finding out how Morticia ended up in Death's realm and how the world is bigger than just humans and animals. But not everything is as easy as it may seem when it comes to the Gods and legends.

Excerpt from Embermyst:

"Death?" she asked. She sounded uncertain due to the purr in his voice.

"Yes?"

"Why do I feel drawn to you? Why do you seem drawn to me?"

He pulled his hand back from her face, but not before he brushed her silky black hair out of her face with a lover's touch. "I do not know," he admitted softly. "Do you know there is a rumor among the Gods? A legend so to speak."

"What kind of legend?"

"It states that for all the Gods and Goddesses there is but one mortal companion who is their other half. One soul among them all that once found, and acquainted with, you are bound to for eternity. They say the mortal ascends to divinity and immortality, becoming a God or Goddess themselves. It is believed no divine being is truly whole with eternal life until they have found their Bond Mate."

She studied him. "And you believe I am that mortal?"

"Do you have any other explanation for this feeling?" he asked, rubbing his bony thumb over her thigh. He wished he could actually feel the soft fabric beneath his fingers, wished he could feel her smooth and flawless skin. That too was another earthly charm lost on him. "Do you feel it too?"

"I do..." Her voice was a breath of a whisper.

"What do you feel?"

As he leaned closer, she shivered and her eyes fluttered a second, the searing orange burning brighter with excitement. "I feel...this otherworldly connection. A chill, but not the chill I would expect from Death's presence. Instead of this wave of despair it feels like crackling lightning sparking along my limbs, jump starting my heart. It almost...feels like I belong, like I have come home."

Death smiled more, tracing his finger down the side of her face. "You just put to words what I could not explain within myself."

She turned her gaze to him. Her eyes were windows of awe and surprise for only a moment before she seemed torn by something. She looked down, setting the amulet amongst her skirts, then reached up to finger a chain hanging around her neck. The charm strung through it was buried between the crevice of her breast.

"What is it, Morticia?" he asked with concern at her sudden change. She looked seemingly...regretful.

"I was engaged, Death."

You can purchase your copy of Paranormal Pleasures at: 
Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes / Smashwords /Nook
In Print: Amazon /Createspace / Barnes and Noble

Karen: Thank you, Daelyn, for being her today. We look forward to reading your story.

For more information about Daelyn Morgana and her works, please visit:  Facebook/ Blog / Wattpad

Barbara Miller- When the Wrong Turn is the Right Turn #ParanormalPleasures @KMNbooks @rebeccajvickery

Let's welcome multi-published author, Barbara Miller!

Karen: Barbara, let's start with you telling the readers a little bit about yourself.

Barbara: I teach in the Writing Popular Fiction graduate program at Seton Hill University and am Reference Librarian at Mount Pleasant, PA Public Library. I have published historical and contemporary romances, mysteries, young adult books, a storybook and a paranormal novel. Two of my plays have been performed at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival.

My husband, Don, and I did indeed move into a derelict house on Halloween in 1983. All the leaks, creaky floors, bats, mice and ghosts have not scared us away yet and we are still working on the house.

Karen: Love houses with character and it sounds like yours it full of personality. :) Tell us your latest news. Do you have any current projects you're working on?

Barbara: I am finishing the fourth in my middle grade series about a foster child, Georgie Jones. I plan to publish all four books in one volume on CreateSpace.

Karen: What is the name of your story and what inspired you to write this tale for the Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romance Collection?

Barbara: Right Turn. It struck me that because of unintended consequences, we never know at the moment we make a decision or turn if it is the right one or not.

About the story, Right Turn:

Without realizing it, a realtor sends both Greg and Lois to the same wrong house. The Mansion has secrets and wounds of its own. Will the mishap end up being the right turn in Lois and Greg’s lives?

At the very end:

The house sighed, the curtains puffing out of its windows even though there was no breeze. I have another family at last: parents, kids, and maybe more in the future. Not to mention a dog and cats. The hole in my heart has been repaired. I feel young again.

Karen:  When you were a child, what paranormal story intrigued you the most?

Barbara: The Headless Horseman. What frantic pacing.

Karen: What do you think makes a good paranormal story?

Barbara: Humor and a twist.

Karen: What is your favorite paranormal movie or book?

 The Sixth Sense. At the end because of one sound we find out everything we assumed about the story is not so. The whole truth comes to us in a shivering wave of realization.

Karen: What makes you interested in the genre you write?

Barbara: Character creation is the magic that drives all my stories regardless of the genre.

Karen: Thank you, Barbara, for being here today and sharing a little about yourself.

Enjoy an excerpt of Right Turn that is featured in Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romances.

Kelly pouted. "Dad, you have no imagination. Here it is, Halloween night, but instead of being at Ashley's party having fun I'm stuck in an actual haunted house."

"Really? It's Halloween?" Greg took his glasses off and wiped them dry
Eric shook his head. "Forget Halloween, Dad. What about basketball season?"

"This weekend is the only time I had to look for a house. I start the new job next week." Greg realized his son was doing his best to understand. They were in a tight spot. Alicia had not agreed to move out of his house when he announced it was time to sell and move on. She’d asked for a divorce and moved as far as the guest bedroom. Greg went through with the house sale. His name was on the deed, so he could. He’d had the movers pack up their furniture and clothes. From his point of view, since they’d been married only two years and she had quit her job to stay home and not really contribute anything, he had a right to sell the house from under her.

Her lawyer didn’t see it that way. Now his lawyer said the court was probably going to award her the money for the house. Greg had to find a place for his family before the property settlement came to court. He couldn’t understand why she bailed on him since she knew he made his living by redoing houses and flipping them. Unless she had planned from the first to dump him and keep the house.

"I can't believe you loaded up our stuff to move, without even a house to change clothes in." Kelly scratched at a ketchup stain on her jeans.

"We can stay in the motel another couple nights and you can start school Monday. If we don't find a place soon the moving company will put our stuff in storage and you won't have clothes to change into. You two stay here and I'll go see what's making that noise."

"No, no, don't split up," Kelly warned. "If you're that curious we'll all go. That's the fatal mistake they make in all horror movies."

"You're the expert," Eric said and winked at his dad.

Greg wondered if uprooting the kids every three or four years was stressing them, but definitely Kelly had watched too many scary movies.

They heard a crash and someone yelling, "Thud. Stop!" They ran into the hall to see a large black creature charge down the steps and leap on Greg, knocking him flat on the floor. A lady in jeans, a sweatshirt and hiking boots hurried down the stairs, grabbed the dog by the collar and yelled, "Thud, stop." The kids stood open mouthed while Greg was licked almost to death.

Greg said, "He slimed me." He looked past the smiling face of the big black dog toward a slender woman with a bouncy auburn ponytail.

"Sorry, he's a wet mouth lab and he just loves people. I thought if I kept him quiet, I could sneak out later undetected. I really just went upstairs to use my phone."

Greg got slowly to his feet, wiping his face with his wet shirtsleeve. "That's okay. I was wet already. Why would you sneak out?"

"No, it's my fault. I should be able to control him. You're probably wondering..."

Eric stepped forward. "Our fault. We invaded your house." He reached a hand out to the dog that fawned at his feet. "So his name is Thud?"

"For obvious reasons. I thought it was your house."

"No we're supposed to meet Maggie from Upton Realty here at six." Greg checked his watch. “It’s just six now.”

"I was supposed to meet her here at five but I was late. I was beginning to think this isn’t the place. It's not as described. But if she gave us the same directions, this must be the house."

"I wonder where the realtor is," Kelly asked as she reached for the dog. Thud whined appreciatively and let her scratch his ears. The thumping of his heavy tail on the floor sounded like a drum beating. “I just hope we don’t find her body stuffed in a closet.”

You can purchase your copy of Paranormal Pleasures at:
Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes / Smashwords /Nook
In Print: Amazon /Createspace / Barnes and Noble

For more information about Barbara Miller and her works, please visit her website.

Vicki Crum's Magical World #ParanormalPleasures @KMNbooks @rebeccajvickery

Let's welcome Vicki Crum! 

Karen: Let's start with you telling us a little about yourself.

Vicki: I live in a lovely little beach town in Southern California, which is actually the setting for the first book in my “Moon” series of light-hearted werewolf romances. I write contemporary and paranormal romance, and I like to add a little humor to the excitement and passion of finding one’s true love. I have a wonderful husband, two beautiful daughters, and two adorable grandchildren who light up my life!Tell us your latest news. Do you have any current projects you're working on?

Vicki: The first book in my “Moon” series, Once in a Blue Moon, was released in 2015, and I’m working hard to finish the second book in the series, Moonspell. If all goes well it should be ready for release before the end of November.

Karen: What is the name of your story and what inspired you to write this tale for the Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romance Collection?


Vicki: Something About Autumn is my contribution to the new anthology. It’s the first short story I’ve ever written, and to be honest I wasn’t sure I could do it. Having fall as the theme helped me narrow down on a plotline, and I first thought to make my hero a vampire. I’ve never written a vampire, and thought I could do something along those lines with the shorter format. But as I was getting to know my hero, Dorian, during the writing process, it became obvious to me (and to my critique partners as well!) that Dorian was not a vampire at all, but a master warlock. A good warlock, though—no evil practices for my heroes! I had never written a witch or a warlock before, either, and it was loads of fun!!

Blurb for Something about Autumn:
Autumn Graham has always been a dreamer, a free spirit who never quite fit in with her peers. As an adult, and now an independent business owner, she's worked hard to put all that fanciful nonsense behind her—until a mysterious stranger walks into her bookstore asking for books on the occult. Tall, charming, handsome as sin, Dorian fascinates Autumn like no man ever has. He claims to be a fantasy writer, but she suspects there's a lot more to him than meets the eye. When the instant attraction they share quickly spirals out of control, Autumn finds herself falling hard for the enigmatic stranger. But can she handle the astounding truth about Dorian's real identity?

Karen: When you were a child, what paranormal story intrigued you the most.

Vicki: I enjoyed a lot of Edgar Allen Poe poetry, especially one of his most famous ones, The Raven. I was also a fan of Alfred Hitchcock movies, specifically The Birds. I find crows so fascinating that in my first book, Loving Luc, I have crows playing a mysterious and pivotal role in the story. I was also a huge fan of the Twilight Zone as a child, and the concept of the world as we know it being flipped upside down. You know, expect the unexpected.

Karen: What do you think makes a good paranormal story?

Vicki: A story that takes you to a place you never dreamed of going, that wraps you in an adventure that is quite literally out of this world. It sweeps you out of the mundane and into the exciting realm of what could be.

Karen: What is your favorite paranormal movie or book?

Vicki: A year or so ago I read a trilogy by Nora Roberts, The Cousins O’Dwyer series, about a family of good witches desperately trying to end an ages-old curse, and kill the demon hell-bent on their destruction. The books are full of romance and adventure, with lots of exciting magic thrown in. It was a bit of a different subject matter for me, I’d never paid much attention to witches before, but I really enjoyed that series. And who knows? Maybe subliminally that’s how my sexy warlock, Dorian, was born!

Karen: What makes you interested in the genre you write?

Vicki: I like exploring the “what if” element of paranormal. There’s so much you can do with the concept of the unknown, the out-of-the-ordinary, so many different ways to let your imagination soar. That’s the kind of thing I find exciting about writing.

Karen: Vicki, thank you so much for being here today and sharing with us.

Enjoy a snippet from Something About Autumn, featured in the Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romances.

When the waitress was gone, Autumn looked at Dorian, raised one eyebrow and said, "They seem to know you pretty well here. You ate dinner here just last night?"

His lips tilted up at the corners. "I stay here sometimes, when I plan to be in town for several days."

A wave of tension invaded Autumn's body, accompanied by a surge of heat so intense she felt beads of sweat popping out in places she'd rather not think about.

"Are you telling me you have a room...upstairs...right now? And this is where you've chosen to bring me for dinner?" She had a sudden vision of crisp white sheets on a big, canopied bed, with dozens of glowing candles placed strategically around the room and a bottle of champagne chilling on a bedside table. Not an altogether unpleasant vision, and that shocked her even more.

"Relax," Dorian soothed, his voice deep, almost hypnotic. "Your virtue is quite safe. I chose the inn because they have the best food in town, not because I wanted to whisk you upstairs and seduce you."

The vision collapsed, and Autumn was left with the oddest feeling that something precious had been yanked away. How ridiculously psychotic of her.

"Not that seducing you is a bad idea," he went on, "I just think we should get to know each other a little better first." He raised his glass and tapped the rim against hers. "Here's to getting to know each other."

You can purchase your copy of Paranormal Pleasures at:
Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes / Smashwords /Nook
In Print: Amazon /Createspace / Barnes and Noble

For more information about Vicki Crum and her works, please visit her website.
Follow her on Facebook, too. 

 

Time Travel to 1640 England with Gerald Costlow #ParanormalPleasures @KMNbooks @rebeccajvickery

Let's welcome the very talented Gerald Costlow!

Karen: Tell the readers about yourself:  

Gerald: Well, I'm a widower living in Michigan with a house full of dogs. Some of my life was spent in the military and I've kicked around the world a bit in my younger days. Nothing too exciting, actually. 

Karen: Tell us your latest news. Do you have any current projects you're working on? 

Gerald: I have two or three stories I'm always working on. Right now I'm writing the adventures of a wizard for hire named Bertram, and the trouble he gets into.

Karen: What is the name of your story and what inspired you to write this tale for the Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romance Collection? 

Gerald: The name of my story is "Ghost of a Chance". I needed to write a story that brought the 1920s Appalachia series to a conclusion and set the reader up for my next series as a new generation falls in love. I decided to try my hand at a time travel story this time, so most of it actually takes place in 1640s England.  

Blurb for Ghost of a Chance: 
Billy Sherritt, the only warlock born in 300 years, is now a teenager and facing some choices about his life that he doesn't like. He unexpectedly gets sent back in time to 1640 in England, to meet the previous warlock and namesake Bill Sherritt and his sweetheart, Abigail. A Witchfinder is about to show up and the entire witch community is in danger. Billy wants to help, but he arrived as a disembodied ghost and he's forced to stay with Bill wherever he goes.

If he can't help this couple escape and make their way to America, his own future might be in danger. So far, he's only managed to compound their love life. It's hard to have a romantic rendezvous with a teenage ghost in the room.

Karen: When you were a child, what paranormal story intrigued you the most? 

Gerald:I loved the original Universal Monsters. Especially the Frankenstein series of movies.

Karen: What do you think makes a good paranormal story? 

Gerald:When the characters have motivations for what they do, and don't act like idiots.

Karen: What is your favorite paranormal movie or book?

Gerald: I think my all time favorite is "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze. I can watch that over and over and get the sniffles at the end every time.

Karen: Have to say I like that movie as well and tissues are always needed. :)
  
Karen: What makes you interested in the genre you write?

Gerald: Love is the most powerful motivation there is, and the most prone to completely mess up a situation. You can write a love story that is funny, tragic, and heartwarming all in the same story.

Thank you, Gerald for being here today. I can't wait to read the next generation of Appalachia tales. 

For a special treat, enjoy a snippet from Ghost of a Chance, featured in the Paranormal Pleasures, 2016 Halloween Romances.

She stood with hand on hip, glaring at him. Unheeded, the robe had fallen open in the front. Bill enjoyed the view while deciding sleep could wait.

"The Royalists sent for you?" she asked. "Bill, even my uncle says King Charles can't win and any nobleman who doesn't die on the battlefield might as well kill himself before the mob gets to him. If Cromwell and that bunch don't hang us all, we'll still end up destitute. How much did we loan them?"

"They paid us this time," he said. "And you've just given me an idea. I'll tell you about it later. For now, I have something more pressing to deal with." Bill pulled his Mistress and sweetheart onto his lap, took her nightlight and set it on his bedstead, then buried his face in her ample cleavage. "I've missed you."

"Are you talking to me, or my bosom?" she replied, but didn't pull away. In fact, she put her hands on the back of his head and held him tighter. "Are you sure you haven't found another pair of these to fondle when you're on those mysterious business trips? Speaking of business…"

His beloved Lady Abigail – heir to a small fortune, ward of a Duke, promised in arranged marriage to a Baron, and well out of reach due to his low station – continued talking. Bill wasn't listening. He suddenly had company inside his head.

You can purchase your copy of Paranormal Pleasures at:
Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes / Smashwords /Nook
In Print: Amazon /Createspace / Barnes and Noble

For more information about Gerald Costlow and his works, please visit his website at:  http://theweaving.blogspot.com/
and http://victorytalespress.com/

Haunted Queen Mary by Karen Michelle Nutt @KMNbooks @RebeccaJVickery #ghosts #ghosttours

The Queen Mary was bigger, faster and mightier than the Titanic. She was constructed at the John Brown shipyard in Clyde, Scotland and made her maiden voyage on May 27, 1936. At one time, the Ocean liner hosted elaborate parties where royalty, world leaders and top entertainment figures enjoyed fine wine and seven course meals.

From 1940-1946, she was transformed into a carrier ship aiding forces during World War II. She is said to have carried over 760 thousand military personnel. She was painted a drab-gray to keep her hidden in the misty waters, giving her the nickname “The Gray Ghost.”

The ship contains the Hotel Queen Mary with 365 restored original First Class staterooms. It has a maritime museum and has had numerous exhibits with the artifacts from the Titanic, the legendary Marilyn Monroe's personal possessions, “Treasures of the Last Czar”, Princess Diane exhibit, and Alcatraz to name a few. It also hosts the Scottish Highland Games every February, Art Deco Festivals, The annual Halloween Terrorfest, and the Annual Long Beach Holiday Tree-Lighting Ceremony. 

With so much to see and do, the Queen Mary attracts thousands of visitors every year whether it is to enjoy the exhibits or to experience first hand if she is truly haunted.

Haunted tours are offered daily for fun with their theatrical version of Ghosts and Legends, but they also have a more serious view. My friends and I took all three different tours, all interesting and informative. We especially liked the paranormal evening excursion with Erika Frost that we took July 2006. She brought us to places on the ship that weren’t available for the guests to explore.

Our evening with Ms. Frost began in the Observation Bar, which served first class passengers during the ship’s sailing days. It is decorated in the Art Deco splendor of its time. Through the lounge’s portholes, you can see the lights of Long Beach, giving you a romantic view across the bay.

We were given compasses and flashlights to carry on our tour.  The compasses were used like an EMF meter to detect any paranormal activity.  True North will never change, so if it begins to move, there is a good possibility of paranormal activity.

My husband had his camcorder, microphone and other equipment in hopes of capturing something paranormal, but nothing stood out when he listened to the recordings.

On the haunted tour, they mentioned that there were ‘hot spots’ and vortexes throughout the ship. The first class swimming pool and the dressing rooms were the most active of the paranormal sightings. It is believed a woman was attacked in the pool’s dressing room and numerous psychics feel there is a negative energy that still lingers. It has been reported a little girl’s laughter can be heard on occasion and a forlorn girl clutching a teddy bear has appeared to guests and staff. They believe she may have drowned. At times, they have heard splashing and have seen wet footprints leading to the changing rooms. Another sighting is of a woman and a child dressed in 1940’s clothing standing near the gate leading to the pool.

Photo of the pool shows an orb. Some believe it to be dust particles. Others believe an orb represents the soul of a departed person.

One spirit said to haunt the Queen Mary on D Deck or door #13 in shaft alley is John Pedder. He was a fireman/cleaner in the number 3 Boiler Room in 1966. For some reason on a routine drill, the eighteen year old tried to squeeze through the watertight door that closes in less than six seconds. Some speculated that he was trying to play “Chicken” and unfortunately, it became a deadly game where he lost his life.

Ms. Frost let us hold the small copper dowsing rods. They are used to pick up paranormal energy in the air. Albert Einstein believed dowsing worked. He is quoted to have said, “I know very well that many scientists consider dowsing as they do astrology, as a type of ancient superstition. According to my conviction this is, however, unjustified. The dowsing rod is a simple instrument which shows the reaction of the human nervous system to certain factors which are unknown to us at this time."

I held the rods in the Engine Room where staff and tour guides have reported strange clanging sounds and balls of light move slowly across the walls. Others have seen a mysterious black-bearded man wearing coveralls ride the escalator as if he was on his way to do a job. Erika Frost asked if the spirits wished to speak with us. The rods uncannily moved. It wasn’t a slow movement, but fast and to the left as if someone came by and pushed it. It continued to do this each time she would ask a question.

Later in the tour, my friend Stephanie had the chance to hold the rods and they move for her too, but another time in the pool room a man on our tour held the rods, but when asking the spirits a question, they didn’t respond at all.

On G Deck where the morgue was thought to be located, there have been reports of lights flickering, doors slamming, and numerous sightings in this area. John Pedder (crushed by door #13 during a watertight drill)l is sometimes spotted wearing the blue coveralls in which he died. Another was William Stark, who accidentally drank poison that the ship's captain was keeping in an old gin bottle.

The cabin, B-340 (B deck) is supposedly one of the most haunted cabins on the ship. The cabin is supposed to be haunted by a purser who was murdered. The hotel no longer allow guests stay in the cabin.

Room 340, which is supposed to be the most haunted room.

In the Boson’s Locker you can hear strange noises. During World II, the Queen Mary was being pursued and to avoid being an easy target, they used the zigzagging technique. Unfortunately, her escort ship, a British cruiser H.M.S. Curacao moved in the wrong direction and the Queen Mary sliced her in two. They were not allowed to stop for survivors and over 300 hundred men drowned. We were told there was a television crew who left their audio recorder running overnight in the exact location where the two ships collided. The next day they played back the tape and sounds of pounding could be heard. Others claimed to have heard voices and cries for help. When we were down in the once damaged area, we heard strange groaning noises and tapping.

In the third class playroom, which is now a used as a storage room, a baby’s cry has been heard. It is believed to be Leigh Travers Smith, an infant boy who died shortly after his birth.

The lady in white supposedly haunts the Main Lounge (it’s called the Queen’s Salon now). She is dressed elegantly in a white evening gown and seen dancing alone in the shadows. The haunted stateroom is where Winston Churchill stayed. According to legend, he planned the D-Day invasion while taking a bath and playing with toy ships. People have reported smelling cigar smoke.

The Queen Mary is a fascinating old ship with a rich history. As any old structure with dim lighting, it can feel creepy and make noises that will make you jump. So whether you are a skeptic or a firm believer in the paranormal, you’ll enjoy the different tours that are offered aboard the Queen Mary.

The psychic Mable Fortescue-Harrison predicted that the Queen Mary would know its greatest fame when she no longer sailed. It seems her prediction came true. The ship is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is permanently docked in Long Beach, California. 

March 2017, Strange Escapes is going to host a weekend of mixers, meals, lectures, entertainment and of course, ghosts. My friends and I are attending and I can't wait to share my new ghost adventures with you. 

About the Author

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

When she's not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates pre-made book covers to order at Gillian's Book Covers, "Judge Your Book By Its Cover". You can also check out her published cover art designs at Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery and Highland Press.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

FOLLOW her at:

Amazon Author's Page   /  Facebook    /  Goodreads   / Twitter @KMNbooks /Google+ / Pinterest / Linkedin

KMN Books Blogspot

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Books Available at: Amazon (Print and eBook) / Amazon UK (Print and eBook) / Barnes and Noble (Print and eBook) / Smashwords (eBook only) / OmniLit (eBook only)  / aRE (eBook only) / Createspace (print only) /  Book Depository (print only international)

Books where my characters visit the Queen Mary:

 

About Creighton Manor:
(Full length time travel romance)

The last thing Gillian Metcalf remembers before she passes out is being aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, where she witnesses a dog disappearing as if it were a phantom. So how did she end up in 1870 and in a man's room aboard  the Ida
Belle, traveling down the Mississippi?

Zachary Creighton, a gambler with one goal: to win back Creighton Manor. Marriage is not part of the plan, but since he is found with Gillian in his room, reputations are at stake, his included.To keep peace with his reluctant bride, he makes a bargain with her. He needs a tutor for his nephew Tyler, and she needs a roof over her head until they can annul their sham of a marriage. However, Zachary finds himself falling for Gillian's oddly charming ways despite the fact the woman claims to be from the future.

The gamble is trust, but will the stakes prove too high for Zachery to risk it all and win Gillian's heart?

Available at:
Ebook: Amazon Kindle  /In Print: Amazon / Createspace / Book Depository

About The Spirit of Love:
(Short Story) 99¢

A tragic accident leaves Brynna and Travis devastated. Instead of turning to each other for comfort, they drift apart. However, they must complete one more assignment—set on an old ship, The Queen Mary, during Yule, one of the most haunted times in the Celtic calendar. It is believed souls of the dead prevail and anam cara—soul friends can visit.

Will Travis and Brynna confront the spirit of love, allowing them a chance to heal and find their way back to each other?

Available in these formats: Kindle / Nook / Smashwords


Looking for a Ghost Story this Halloween?

About Shattered Illusions (Short Story) 99¢


Blurb:
Brona lives in an isolated house on the cliffs which overlook the sea. She arrives home to find the door ajar. Her husband is out of town and her sister, who is staying with her, has disappeared.

Blood-stained floors appear and disappear, low whispering voices greet her, and a storm outside rages causing the lights to flicker. Brona must put her fears behind her and unravel the mystery that haunts this house.

Available at:
Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / Smashwords /Nook