Monster Mash Countdown Blitz Day 12

Claudette Melanson writes & edits in Kitchener, Ontario, with her husband Ron and four bun babies: Tegan, Pepper, Butters & Beckett. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English and an MA in Literature. She's wished to be a Vampire since age five. She hopes to one day work full time as an author, since there are many, many books living inside her head.

In her spare time she enjoys watching Japanese Anime and reading vampire stories....along with other great fiction. She is also very interested in good health and is an advocate of Ketogenic eating, using whole and natural foods. Her favorite foods are bulletproof coffee, cashew flour crust pizza and treats made with xylitol and almond, coconut or cashew flours.

Future dreams include writing many more books and spending more time with her son Jacob. Her biggest dream is to make Universal Halloween Horror Nights a yearly event with hubby and son. A Rabbit Rescue fanatic, she also hopes to help rescues all over the world save many innocent lives.

Q&A With the Author:

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?

We walked into the shelter with the pet carrier.

“We came to see Tegan,” I told the lady at the counter.

“Oh yes, I got your email. You’re Claudette?”

“Yes.”

“Right this way.”

We peeked into the room at the two bunny cages stacked on top of one another. Tegan had the sweetest eyes…just as he had in the picture on the Rabbit Rescue site which had drawn me to him. He was easily four times the size of the dwarf bunny in the cage below him.

“He’s really big,” Ron said. “Aren’t you worried he might hurt Cuddles?”

“Are you kidding? Remember, you’re talking about Cuddles.” I turned to the volunteer. “Can I go in and see him?”

“Sure.” A heartbeat later we were inside the room, and the lady was taking Tegan from his cage. “Do you want to sit on the floor?”

Tegan came over to me immediately. It was like he knew we were always meant to be together. His thin grey and white spotted body crawled over my own tall frame, his nose, heart-shaped with its white outline, skimmig my skin to take me in. “His ear…”

“That’s just starting to heal up.” It looked like something…or someone…had torn a notch from the outside edge closest to his body.

“How did this happen to him?”

“We don’t know. Rabbit Rescue brought him to the shelter.”

I started to rise, but Tegan pounced onto my chest in desperation, as if begging me not to go. “Don’t worry, buddy; you’re coming with us. Ron, bring the carrier in here. We’ll take him,” I said to the woman, who quickly exited to print out the adoption paperwork. Ron placed the open carrier on the floor, and after the briefest of whiffs, Tegan leapt in, eager to go home.

Connect with the Author here: 

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The 3rd book in the 1st of several trilogies featuring Maura & her family! 

Maura has never felt so alone in her life…nor has her existence ever been so overshadowed by peril…

Not only do both her parents—her distant but loving mother and recently- returned father—remain absent from her life, but due to the hideous error in judgement executed in collusion with her best friend, Valdamir, and adoptive sister, Susie, Maura has been cut off from the pair’s friendship and support, forbidden by both her father and the fallout from the dire outcome to see either of them. The heartbreak she suffers, brought on by the weight of these estrangements, is only intensified by the continued mysterious absence of her supernaturally-destined mate, Ron…whose disappearance delivers grave consequences Maura would have never dreamed possible…

Despised by her vampire cousin, Aldiva, for reasons Maura cannot yet comprehend, the young changeling will be forced to guard her back with every step, as she comes to realize this member of her vampire family would love nothing more than to bring about her demise. Aldiva’s wrath calls forth other members from both Vancouver covens, forcing them to rush to Maura’s aid—even though her father, their king, has expressly forbidden the other vampires to initiate contact with his daughter. Will her extended family on Vancouver Island obey, abandoning Maura to her doom, or will they instead rebel against Maxwell’s wishes in order to save her life?

In addition to the menace personified in her unsolicited enemy, the unlikely vampire princess will find herself drowning as she is pulled down into the depths of a far more devastating crisis…one which may condemn her to a fate she considers much more undesirable than death. But in order to tear herself free from the deadly pull which is drawing her under, Maura must enlist the help of her preternatural family, exposing her newfound friends to a danger none of them have ever had the misfortune to face before. Can she be saved or will the riptide drag Maura under…along with those she loves the most…

In this third and final book of The Maura DeLuca Trilogy,the first of several trilogies to come, the reader will delve even deeper into the secrets guarded by Maura’s father, the mystery of Ron’s role in her life and the identities of the mysterious Vancouver Island Coven members who have, up until now, remained hidden in the shadows. This trilogy rounds out the segment of Maura’s life during which she discovers she is a member of The Born—a human destined to complete her transformation into a vampire! This series of young adult fantasy novels has been enjoyed by readers of nearly every age and are found by them to be dramatically different from any other vampire books they have read in the past. Discover a magical world filled with fae, angels, elves, pixies and other enchanting creatures in addition to two families made up of some of the most likeable vampires—for the most part—to ever exist.

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Snippet:

“I know what you did to your friend,” she stated, throwing my tenuous hold on my mental axis to the stabbing wintry wind.

My defenses kicked in, brought purely to light by some unfamiliar instinct. “I didn’t… It was Susie…” Shame flooded my entire being.

“You turned her. It was your doing, ultimately,” she articulated with icy absolution.

It hadn’t been I alone who’d turned her, but I wouldn’t have mentioned my lost friend, Valdamir, for a pint of fresh, warm blood. I feared for his life and safety enough already. Still, her words gave pause to the blood in my veins and reminded me of my part in the murder of one of my best friends, Amanda.

Aldiva stalked after me, toppling me over with the smallest push of her slight index finger. Her eyes blazed at me… I’d never known blue could hold such fire.

I scrabbled backward like an upside-downed tortoise—ineffective—my palms scraping over the thorny rocks. The saltwater’s sharp sting was barely registered by my mind. Her gaze was far more cutting.

If there had been anyone around to watch such a ridiculous display, I’m sure they would have been left bewildered—me, scuttling backward like the world’s clumsiest crab—backing away in horrified haste from a young girl of such slight stature, who appeared much more angel than demon from a distance.

“YOU broke our peace. You disrupted the harmony of my family.” She pointed her icicle finger at me as she hissed out her rage. “Maxwell can keep his mate, but I will deny him his daugh…”

The chilled idea of sudden, unavoidable death assaulted me with a cold unlike any I’d ever felt before—even the preternatural touch of my father’s skin—and it permeated me long after the threat had been nullified.

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Monster Mash Countdown Blitz Day 11

Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com

See the video of her performing live at the King’s Enjoy book launch here:

http://www.caspeace.com/cas-peace/the-wheel-will-turn

Find out more at her website: www.caspeace.com


Q&A With the Author:

5. What is the hardest thing you've ever done?

By far the hardest thing I ever had to do was give up and rehome my first two dogs. All my life I’ve wanted a dog, but I had to wait until I had a job and home of my own before I could get one. I went to a rescue center and rehomed two Lurchers, which I loved dearly. Unfortunately, two years after I got them my first marriage broke down, and I could no longer keep the dogs. Having to give them up and rehome them was the worst and the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It broke my heart and I’ve never got over it.

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?

Myself and a childhood friend, Karen, used to love creating little stories which we would often act out. One day, we were coming home from school on the bus when we decided to pretend we were two orphans on our way to meet our new families for the first time. My home stop was before Karen’s, so we concentrated on my story. I speculated about what my new ‘parents’ would look like, what my life would be like, and how different it would be from the orphanage. As my stop approached, we hugged and promised to keep in touch with each other and never forget how we’d met at the orphanage. I stood up to leave the bus, but a lady in the seat behind stopped me. She had tears in her eyes as she told me how brave I was, and how much she hoped I would have a happy, loving family and a good life from now on. I didn’t have the heart or the courage to admit we had made it up, so I accepted her good wishes and managed to leave the bus without laughing. I guess Karen and I must have been very convincing, despite the fact that no children’s organization would ever let a young child (I guess I was about 13) go to meet their adoptive parents alone. I never saw the lady again, and I often wonder whether she ever realized what had happened. This incident lent encouragement to my storytelling, so I’ve always been grateful to her.

Connect with the Author here: 

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Pure evil resists all attempts to destroy it, seeking only its ultimate vengeance.
Three years have passed since Reen’s trial and exile and changes have occured at the Manor. Taran now resides in Loxton Castle as Elias’s Court Artesan, with Sullyan, General Blaine, and Colonel Vassa all making regular tours of guard duty there. Accused of corrupting her daughter Princess Seline, the disgraced former queen, Sofira, has been exiled to Bordenn, where she nurses a bitter heart. And a terrible scarecrow creature has taken roost in a dank cell below the palace of Lerric, Sofira’s father.
Word reaches Sullyan of Reen’s suicide. The lack of a body and a series of dreadful events in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise doubts in her mind. She launches an investigation, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to be unleashed... 

Grab your copy of the book today!

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Top Ten List:

1) Anything to do with animals, especially dogs and horses. My favorite horse breed is the Friesian, which is why I put one in my novels. I also own two rescue dogs and support many animal charities.

2) Singing, especially folk-style songs. I have written and recorded songs to go with each of my Artesans novels. I also sing in my local church choir.

3) Chocolate!!

4) Dragons and (I have to admit!) unicorns. I have collected figurines and statues of dragons and unicorns since I was small and have a vast collection, some of which are quite large and live outdoors. But I don’t like “twee” ones, only those that look like they could be real.

5) Reading, especially fantasy and sci-fi, but also crime novels and mysteries.

6) Country walks.

7) All wildlife, especially butterflies. I used to breed and release UK varieties of butterfly, and belong to the Butterfly Conservation Society.

8) Playing my bodhran (Irish drum). I can’t read music so decided to take up drumming instead. It’s fun and very therapeutic.

9) Spending time with family members.

10) Hula-hooping! It’s something I’ve recently taken up to improve my fitness levels. I bought a sports hoop (something of a shock when you’ve never hooped in your life, even as a kid) and am working through various YouTube tutorials. I love it, even if I am getting through tubs and tubs of Arnica gel to soothe my bruises!

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Monster Mash Countdown Blitz Day 10

Deb Atwood holds an MFA and lives in California with her husband and rescue dog Nala. Her time-slip novel Moonlight Dancer was selected as a front page Featured Review by Book Ideas. Deb's work has appeared in numerous anthologies. Her interests include ghost fiction, Korean culture, quilting, and, of course, reading.

Q&A With the Author:

What is your largest unfulfilled dream? What are you doing towards making that dream a reality?

My unfulfilled dream is to write the perfect book. With every project, blog post, essay, manuscript, I try to stretch myself beyond what I’ve done before. I’m a perpetual student. I read excellent novels, study writing craft, and produce multiple drafts. That’s partly why I’m so slow to put out books. I haven’t written the perfect project yet, but I keep trying.

Tell a story about yourself.

To say I am directionally challenged would be like calling Buckingham Palace a cozy bungalow. The phrase “She can’t find her way out of a paper bag” was invented for me.

I try to compensate. Truly I do. For instance, I always mark my parking ticket with the floor and section. Once, I had driven my husband to the airport back in the days when you could walk people to the gate. When I reached the walkway in front of the airport, I realized I had failed to mark my location. No problem, thought I, as I could see my car from the walkway. Clever me, I noticed that my car was directly in line with a commercial bank. All I’d need to do upon exiting the airport would be to walk in a line toward the bank and I’d reach my car. My daughter and I saw my husband off, and I left the airport confident in my abilities (I have since noticed that in my case confidence bears an inverse relationship to competence). What I hadn’t realized was that the airport was built on a circle. Everywhere I turned, every direction I walked, lugging my 19 pound firstborn for an hour in 90 degree weather, was in a direct line to the commercial bank. By the time we stumbled upon the car, I was exhausted.

A few times my husband (who’s an excellent navigator) was out of town, and I’ve had to transport myself to events with questionable results. Most recently, my daughter and I were driving to my niece’s wedding. (Why is it always weddings that give me trouble?) I had carefully transcribed the directions from Mapquest and was reading them to her as she drove. I was so proud of myself for noting down every turn that would take us to 145 Main Street (but, as they say, pride goeth before a fall). The drive would take 30 minutes; naturally, I had added the 125 percent cushion required by someone with my infirmity. All was going well until we prepared to exit the freeway at Main Street in Vallejo when my daughter turned to me and said, “Doesn’t Allegra live in Vacaville?”

Vacaville, Vallejo…what’s the difference? Back on the freeway, we raced to Vacaville, parked, and ran to the service where we arrived just in time. All part of the plan.

Connect with the Author here: 

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"As readers of Deb Atwood’s blog Pen In Her Hand know, Atwood is passionate about ghost fiction. Since 2011, Atwood has read, re-read, and written about ghost literature. 31 Ghost Novels to Read Before You Die presents a selection of the best of these posts. 

Among the books discussed are old favorites (The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson) as well as some indie gems few people will know about (The 20’s Girl, the Ghost, and All That Jazz by June Kearns). There are ghost novels for every reader, in genres ranging from historical to literary to romance. "

~ Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon AU ~

Top Ten List:

1.  I like spiders, but I'm afraid of yellow jackets (the insect, not the garment).

2.  My hair is purple.

3.  I love to wander around old cemeteries.

4.  I have traveled throughout the Korean countryside (and treasured every minute).

5.  My heart goes pitter patter for big dogs and fat cats.

6.  If I had to choose one mode of travel, I would choose the train.

7.  I suffer from math phobia.

8.  One time in London I inadvertently spent a night in a homeless hotel, and it changed me.

9.  I'm a scaredy cat passenger in a car (as my husband will attest).

10. I'm passionate about ghost fiction and ghost movies.

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Monster Mash Countdown Blitz Day 9

Nichole Giles, the author of DESCENDANT, BIRTHRIGHT, and WATER SO DEEP, has lived in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Texas. She is a huge fan of all things paranormal and magical. Her dreams include owning a garden full of fairies, riding a unicorn, and taming the pet dragon she adopted at a recent local ComiCon. His name is Zane. She also loves to spend time with her husband and four children, travel to tropical and exotic destinations, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along.


Q&A With the Author:

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?

            Okay, this is actually relevant to my most recent release, Legacy.

We moved around a lot when I was young. Around the time when I was turning eight, we moved into a rental house on a hill in a mountainous area. One day, as I was exploring our new place (I’m pretty sure I was avoiding helping my parents unpack—or otherwise stalling) and closed myself into the bathroom. For some reason, I climbed up on the counter, and in doing so, pulled just right on the middle of the tri-secioned mirror. That mirror opened up and revealed a secret crawlspace, where I used to hide from my (then) three younger brothers and two sisters. Eventually, one of my brothers found out, and the two of us made a pact to not tell the others. It was our secret hideout for the whole time we lived there. I can’t remember if my parents ever knew about that crawlspace, and thinking back, it’s super creepy that it even existed where it was. And yet… I wrote that same crawlspace into Legacy, spurred by a burst of inspiration while completing the last chapters of Legacy. So yes, that crawlspace was real, but no, I absolutely could never find that house again to go see what it really was. But that’s what imagination is for! 

Connect with the Author here: 

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After the chaos of Mexico, Abby and Kye have lost everything but each other. They’re on the run with no purpose, no allies, and very little money. To make things worse, Abby’s wound from the Arawn Dagger is draining her power, leaving her unable to access her Light, or her Healing ability.

While the hunt for her long-lost father takes them back through Abby’s childhood homes, they’re forced to question everything they’ve been taught and everyone they’ve ever trusted—including each other. After a desperate attempt to Heal Abby’s wound goes horribly awry, and with the demons they thought they’d lost hot on their heels, the star-crossed couple is forced to face some painful realities that will change life for everyone they know.

When Abby’s best friend is kidnapped by demons, Abby and Kye abandon their search and launch a rescue attempt that morphs into a battle, the outcome of which will determine if Abby and her friends have what it takes to rid the world of demons, or if the royal bloodline and the Gifted generation will be obliterated once and for all.

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Top Ten (or 13) List:

13 Random Facts about Nichole Giles

1. I am the oldest of eleven children: two biological sisters, four biological brothers, and four step-brothers.
2. I don’t like to read books that don’t involve some kind of romance, kissing scenes included.
3. I must have lived during the regency period in a past life, because I love corset-style dresses and costumes. For Halloween, I’ll probably dress up, even though my kids won’t.
4. My favorite ice cream flavor was discontinued over 10 years ago, but I still hold out hope that Ben and Jerry’s will bring back their Island Paradise flavor.
5. My favorite food in the world is steamed snow crab.
6. Whenever I struggle with creating or writing, I like to go for a drive with my convertible top down. I’ve even been known to do this with snow flurries in the air.
7. Nichole’s ultimate dream house: on a white-sand beach, with lots of windows, palm trees in the yard, a huge patio, and within walking distance to a number of friends’ homes. Also near great shopping. It should also have a dedicated library where I can write.
8. I have a growing collection of fairies. Statues, paintings, etc. And I’ve started picking up mermaids as well. I love to be surrounded by fantastical creatures.
9. I have four kids. Two boys, two girls, all nearly grown.
10. When I was in high school in Arizona, my friends and I haunted a local hangout, where I became highly proficient at playing air hockey.
11. During my junior year, I had the opportunity to go to New York with my choir, where we sang in Carnegie Hall. We also toured the city, largely without supervision.
12. My favorite candy includes Kookabura licorice and Black Forest gummies. All varieties of both.
13. I have kissed a stingray, petted a shark, high-fived a sea otter, and hugged a dolphin, but I have never wrestled an alligator or tried to housebreak a lion—and I don’t think I ever will.
Thanks for hanging out with me for thirteen random facts. You can learn more about me and my books at www.nicholegiles.blogspot.com

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Monster Mash Countdown Blitz Day 8

Marni Graff had a successful career as a registered nurse who wrote on the side before writing full time. She has a degree in English Lit and studied Gothic Mystery at Oxford University in England. She also wrote articles for Mystery Review magazine, where she interviewed many of the authors whose work she admired.

Marni is the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney Mysteries, set in England. The Blue Virgin introduces Nora, an American writer living in Oxford. The Green Remains and The Scarlet Wench trace Nora’s move to the Lake District where murder follows her.  In process is The Golden Hour, set in Bath, England. Premiering in the next few months will be Graff’s new Manhattan series, Death Unscripted, featuring nurse Trudy Genova, a medical consultant for a New York movie studio. This new series is based on Marni’s favorite nursing job in real life.

Marni is also co-author of Writing in a Changing World, a primer on writing groups and critique techniques. She writes crime book reviews at Auntie M Writes and is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, an author’s cooperative. A member of Sisters in Crime, Marni runs the NC Writers Read program in Belhaven which allows writers experience reading their work out loud and getting immediate feedback. 

Q&A With the Author:

5. What is the hardest thing you've ever done? 

Persevering to get that first book into print. I wrote for years on the side, then finally was able to write full time. Once I had been signed by an agent I thought I'd made it, but three years later he hadn't been able to sell either of my first two books. Then I met a group of women and one started her own indie press and I decided to take the plunge and bring out the books with her. I've never looked back.

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?

My first trip to England happened in my early 20's. I stepped off the plane with my (then) husband for a week of rugby games and despite never having traveled outside the US before, felt like I was coming home. Despite the streets and names and towns all being new to me, there was a sense of recognition that happened and has happened each time I travel back to anywhere in the UK. I've been fleetingly in Scotland and Wales and want to explore those more. I know England the best and have spent several trips doing research for the English mystery series by taking long train rides to new areas, all set up to explore potential settings for the books. Each area has its own feel and customs; each area feels 'right' to me, as if I've been there before. Whether I visit Cornwall, Devon, the beaches of Brighton, the lights of London, the glorious Lake District--it's all in my memory banks with a sense of familiarity and rightness. Maybe I have lived there in another life?

Connect with the Author here: 

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The Blue Virgin (A Nora Tierney Mystery, #1)

Despite a planned move, the mysterious death of photographer Bryn Wallace keeps American writer Nora Tierney glued to Oxford in order to clear her close friend, artist Val Rogan, who has been wrongfully accused of Bryn's murder. Or has she?

Nora quickly becomes embroiled in the murder investigation, much to the dismay of two men: Detective Inspector Declan Barnes, the senior on the case; and Simon Ramsey, the illustrator of Nora's children's book. Simon's efforts to save Nora from herself become increasingly frantic as Nora is forced to push her way into Declan's case, using her wits and her wiles to prove Val's innocence.

The first in a series of Nora Tierney mysteries based in the UK, The Blue Virgin is a compelling story of love and intrigue. Nothing, Nora learns, is what it seems, and even the most innocent of choices can lead to murder and revenge. Set in the ancient city of golden spires, the setting lends itself to mystery, as any Inspector Morse fan will agree. The novel is written in classic English style, complete with a cast of characters and chapter epigraphs that add to its literary feel.

~ Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~

Top Ten List:

  1. I always have a jigsaw puzzle in progress.

2. I was a nurse for 30 years.

3. I was on TV twice playing a nurse on the soap opera "One Life to Live" as part of my medical consulting.

4.I took German in high school and have a wicked accent but have no idea any longer what I'm saying!

5. I have a collection of vintage platters and creamers.

6. I have seven grandchildren.

7. My dog is an Italian Spinone, a rare breed of hunting hound, named Radar.

8. A copy of my third Nora Tierney Mystery, The Scarlet Wench, is in the archives of Noel Coward's estate.

9. I took German in high school and have a wicked accent but have no idea any longer what I'm saying!

10. I named Nora's son, Sean, after my own son, who'll turn 40 this spring!

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