Soul Catcher Release Day

Please come join me at Delusions of Grandeur for my release day celebrate for Soul Catcher. I will be giving away a free copy to a lucky winner.

Like Cate, I'm doing happy dances, too!

          
  Print Cover

  
   eBook Cover

Eden's Hell, I: The First is a finalist in the Paranormal Erotic Romance Category of the 2011 EPIC eBook Awards Competition™.

Eden's Hell begins a five part novel series, where biblical facts and fiction crash headlong to answer the age old question of how and why vampires came into existence.

In the beginning…

God created man and called him Adam, a fine specimen replicated in his own image. He then created woman to ease Adam’s loneliness and named her Lillith. Unfortunately, God realized his mistake too late in giving woman free will, for she would rule her domain, not man.

When Lillith left Adam, God created another for his first-born son, and gave her the name Eve and a kingdom called Eden, but by then it was too late, for he’d unleashed Hell into the world of man.

Four-time EPIC finalist!

I'm dancing on air! I received the email this morning from EPIC notifying me that I'm a finalist in the 2011 competition for my paranormal novella, One Soul for Sale - and three more stories!

I just made reservations for the conference in March. Can't miss that party! Anyone else attending?

One Soul for Sale - Paranormal Novella
BLURB: When Madelyn sells her soul on UBuy, she’s not ready for the hell that’s unleashed. All she really wants is to make a success of her art. But the gorgeous stranger who buys her soul for $666 asks her to perform a few tasks. Tests of her true worth, Madelyn thinks, as each brings her – and her cat Brutus – into greater danger. And closer to the frightening shadowy figure stalking her. On All Hallows Eve, her final test will open the gates of hell. Or is it heaven?

The other three include two contemporaries, Going with Gravity and Picture This, plus an erotic romance, Wilderness Girl.

I'm so excited I can't think straight!

YoungRebel Publications Launches Today

YoungRebel Publications launches today with three fabulous titles. Does anyone care for some deliciously scary Halloween treats? 'Rebel Moon - A Paranormal Anthology', and 'The Caller Knows You Are Waiting' by Daniel Cooper are just what you need. If curling up with a teen romance is more your style, try 'One Night Witch' by Rebecca Bookout.

To celebrate our launch, we’ve begun a series of interviews with our debut authors. Our first featured author is Daniel Cooper, a young British author who has recently recovered from cancer. Check out his interview at http://youngrebelpublications.blogspot.com/

YoungRebel Publications - where rebel readers and writers come together!



The Excorcist

Hot DAMN!!!  Does this movie scare me.

Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. I can watch slasher movies and monster movies without nightmares. I still scream but then again, I'm screamed during Finding Nemo, so no big deal there. Anything to do with the spiritual world, demons, and possession has me clinging to my DH like a five year old for days.

I was about eight years old when I saw the Excorist. (Thanks Dad.)  It came on television, since there were no VCRs or DVDs in THOSE days. He saw the little girl with the movie star mom and thought it was a Disneyish movie. Low and behold, my life was changed and my parents couldn't kick me out of their bed for nights.

Years later when I was a new mother the director's cut came out. I didn't even need to see the movie. All it took to set me off was the commercial of the spider walk.

I was home alone with my new born. My DH worked evenings at the time. I phoned my older brother, it was about 10PM, and asked if he'd like to come over to hold my hand. LOL  Thank goodness for big brothers.

What movie makes you shake in your boots?

The Man Behind The Wolf Man

Which actor arrived in the world nearly stillborn and was revived when his father plunged him into an icy lake? Stop by Mariposa's Musings to find out more about the actor who portrayed four of Universal's movie monsters.

Angel Martinez, "Diego" and Fairy tales for adults!

I have discovered an amazing author and her beautiful world of pookas and fae and passion – Angel Martinez, now a fellow Paranormalist.
If you don’t know her, go and find her books and read them! I read her novel “Finn” and fell in love, and now I have just finished “Diego”, the incredible sequel to “Finn” – and I am about to go back to the start and read it all over again, because such stories rare, ladies and gentlemen, and have the real magic!

She is today a guest on my blog, talking about Fairy tales, and how they weren't always meant for children - how they are dark and beautiful and real.

Read her post here!

I admit I can't wait to read the rest of her stories. This is some of the best fantasy and erotica I've ever read.

Introduction...hello!

Hi, everyone. I'm new here and thought I would drop a quick hello and  introduce myself. *waves*  I see a lot of familiar faces; some of you know me as a paranormal author, and some as a cover artist. In fact, I saw several of my creations in the Paranormalists Book Covers section.  *blushes*

So, a little bit about me...

I began writing paranormal in the 1980's, shortly after reading several of Anne Rice's vampires novels. Back then I wrote primarily in the "fantasy" genre, you know, wizards, dragons, etc., but magic of any kind has always fascinated me, along with the forever raging battle between good and evil. While I'm still an author of fantasy under another author name, my love for paranormal is first and foremost.  I was mesmerized by how Ms. Rice drew me to her characters, vampires who possessed emotions, battled inner conflicts like mortals, had the ability to love...and more specifically, were portrayed as human beings and not monsters.

I have several paranormal novels published with Purple Sword Publications. Two are stand-alones, and I have a five novel series called The First, wherein two novels have been released. Return to Me and Forever and a Day, are stand-alone vampire novellas, with the main characters in both also making appearances in the final novel of my The First series.

Geeze, talking about myself is boring, so before you all nod off,  I'll say bye for now, but will return with more about my The First series at a later time.

If you'd like to now more about me, please visit...

http://dawnedominique.com

http://dawnedominique.blogspot.com

http://dusktildawndesigns.yolasite.com

http://purplesword.com

http://loveyoudivine.com

http://eternalpress.biz

http://damnationbooks.com

http://moongypsypress.com

Never use your soul as a bargaining tool

Madelyn can tell you what a bad idea it is - especially near Halloween, the night when the veil between the two worlds fades, allowing souls to travel freely between. In my paranormal novella, One Soul for Sale, she posts her soul online at the bidding site UBuy, and all hell breaks loose. Literally.

This month, you have two opportunities to win One Soul for Sale. Join in the Night Owl Reviews Web Hunt all month for a chance to win one of three print copies. Next weekend, join the LASR Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a PDF copy. Or you could buy your own copy now - One Soul for Sale is available digitally from Eternal Press or in print from Amazon.

Another Rave Review for Small Print

http://thebookbinge.com/2010/10/guest-review-small-print-by-barbara.html

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Anyone who hasnt already grabbed this one, and you need some convincing, check out this review. Of course, I give the story a 4.9999999 (sorry, lost a fraction because I'm jealous of awesome character names...oh hell, I'm jealous of awesome characters.)

Sam Cheever's Annual Halloween Bash - Oct 24- 31

Go Trick or Treating with your Favorite Authors!

Sam Cheever is sponsoring her fourth annual Trick or Treating Bash on a street near you! The street is inexplicably filled with some of your favorite authors and they will be waiting by the door with tricks and treats for you. The lucky winner gets a Halloween Bag with a Kindle e-reader in it, books, assorted candy, and other wonderful prizes from the authors who live on Sam’s street. To start at the beginning, visit Sam’s Halloween Contest page from October 24^th through October 31^st for instructions.

Only one trip down the street per contestant and you must be at least 18 to play!

Come and join the fun and play for a chance to win a Kindle and a bag of goodies. You might be surprised to learn who lives on Sam’s street!

Author Spotlight & Another Monster

I'm in the spotlight at Pam Thibodeaux's blog today http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com/I met Pam at The Wild Rose Press Writers Conference in Bandera, TX. She is a gracious author on-line and in person. Stop by and visit.

I'm also featuring another classic movie monster actor on my blog. Find out which actor recieved as much fan mail as Clark Gable.

Yippee. Read the Post Below This!!!

I already won a copy of SALVATION, by Vivi Dumas. After reading that blurb posted below with the link for a chance for one of you suckers (yep, looks like an exciting vamp tale) to win a copy also, I'm even more thrilled. My first e-reader arrived yesterday, and I'm seriously looking forward to filling it up. Thank you, Vivi, and I'll be sure and comment after reading.

Release Day for "Salvation"

Today is the release day of my short story "Salvation." Please stop by and comment on my blog, Delusions of Grandeur, for your chance to win a copy.

Salvation Blurb


Darius set out tonight to meet his end. Instead of meeting the true death and seeing the sun for one last time, he stumbles upon a reason to live. After a millennia of being held a sex slave by the Vampire Queen, he finally finds his mate, but she lie dying on a park bench. Will Darius be able to sacrifice her soul to save himself? And will he risk going back to the one person he desperately wanted to escape to help his mate through the change?

Salvation Excerpt

She ruined him to love, turning him into her sex slave, diminishing his strength as a male. When she came to him, he’d been honored to be chosen, but after an eternity chained to the wall in the damp, dark crypt, honor was no longer a word he understood. Shame and anguish were his brands. His lust for all things, including blood, left with his will to endure long ago.

But today, the day he planned to take his departure from this world, the thirst returned, calling to him from this exquisite creature waiting at Death’s door. Darius’s harsh laugh echoed among the trees. Fate was a tease. She played with his emotions and tempted him further into condemnation, searing his torture just as the straps of silver singed their pattern into his flesh.

The iron-tainted smell of blood permeated the air. Darius stared into the woman’s angelic face. With her eyes closed and lips slightly parted, the childlike innocence of her expression pleaded with him for mercy, but not the kind of mercy he struggled to administer. The death awaiting her was not the kind he was prepared to give. He reached out and fingered a lock of her golden brown hair, then caressed the side of her round face, wiping the dried blood from her mouth. She was lovely. Can she accept me as I am— a broken monster?

CATCH: Book 2 of The Angler series is AVAILABLE

Blurb:

Caught between two vampires, Connie is torn between Rurik, the one she loves and Tane, the one she’d love to stake.

Hunger burns in Connie Bences’ soul--she craves the blood of her vampire lover, Rurik, but it’s not satisfying her needs anymore. It’s driving her insane. Desperate to find help, Rurik brings her to Rio De Janeiro, where Tane rules the vampire nation.

The back-stabbing vampire almost killed her and Rurik when they’d first met, then used them to obtain his crown.  She would rather stake him, but the small drop of Nosferatu blood he’d forced her to drink in Budapest is blooming into a bond, one which ties her life to his. One he won’t hesitate to manipulate.

He admits to binding her so Rurik would have to remain at his side, but their timing couldn’t be any worse.  The betrayer finds himself betrayed. Tane’s rule is in upheaval and he’s forced to place his trust in two people who owe him no allegiance—her and Rurik.  In the middle of a power struggle, Connie fights to keep her lover, but didn’t plan on Tane slipping into her heart.

BUY NOW



Excerpt:

Vampire slayers mourned those of their ilk who got caught. While most died a true death, some of the very things they hunted lured them to cross over and they became creatures of the night. Or in my case, blood bound with one. Colby and Red, my former comrades-at-arms, treated me as if I was dead, but I never felt more alive.

Jardim Botanico was a botanical paradise famous for its peaceful landscapes. Minutes away from my hotel, it sat in the heart of the south side of Rio de Janeiro. I’d spent the night sneaking along its gardens, ponds and well-manicured lanes, desperate to escape the predator who stalked my trail. Every time I got close enough to make a run for the streets, he’d pop out from hiding, almost as if daring me to try.

Bloodsucker.

An envelope of silence surrounded me as I hid under the dark green leaves of a tropical plant. The scents of nutmeg and cinnamon lay thick in the air, I hoped they covered mine. My heart raced and sweat made my curls stick to the nape of my neck, not only from the heat, but from anticipation of the chase. I’d been smart this time, wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt, sport-shorts and water bottle clipped to my hip so the Brazilian weather wouldn’t sap my strength. My hair color, though, gave me away most of the time. So pale and yellow, sometimes it seemed like a neon sign saying ‘here I am’.

I’d gotten pretty good at running away from vampires. Connie Bence, live bait extraordinaire, was my last job, but I quit and tonight wasn’t a trap.

It was a game.

The night blanketed everything. I thought a city like Rio would be up at all hours, people partying in the streets, especially on New Year’s Eve. I was right. They were. Just not around here. The Copacabana Beach probably swarmed with people. One nervous human and one lusty vampire were the only creatures roaming the botanical gardens tonight.

A humongous, lighted Christmas tree floated on the central lagoon as a landmark. From the hotel window, I could see it to the northwest. This meant I needed to go southeast. Or did I? Ah shit, I suck at this stuff. Don’t throw me in the woods, no matter how manicured.

Laughter drew my attention and I peeked through the leaves. The street was ten yards in front of me through a small stone archway. The noise drifted closer.

I’d been waiting for a witness. It sounded like a group celebrating, probably heading to the beach where the fireworks would be going off in a few hours. If I could make it to them, my vampire wouldn’t be able to finish the hunt.

He had to keep his people’s existence a secret. If he broke that law, the big nasties would come and punish him.

Even vampires had nightmares—the Nosferatu.

I crouched under the foliage and did my best imitation of an Olympic sprinter waiting for the start pistol. My adversary strolled out from the shadows next to the archway.

Clenching my teeth, I swore under my breath. Dirty, freaking bastard knew what I was going to try.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he whistled a little Hungarian ditty. He wouldn’t kill me, this wasn’t about life and death. It was about winning.

The small group of people, my would-be rescuers, appeared.

My vampire blocked the exit with his body, waved at them and called out something in Portuguese. They laughed. It appeared they found him hilarious.

I didn’t find it funny.

The muscles in my legs trembled with the strain. They wanted to take off and run with all their might. It took some effort to make myself relax and slow my breathing. Rurik, the vampire, knew I was close, not my exact position or he would have taken me by now. How did he follow me? Maybe the blood bond we shared gave my location. If that were true, shouldn’t I sense something about him, too?

For once, I’d like to win this game, just once. Make it to our hotel before he captured me. It would mean he’d finally submit to my whims, instead of the other way around. The irony that I couldn’t dominate him without his consent wasn’t lost on me, but I’d make do.

He now stood in the center of the exit, his arms extended to touch the stone walls of the archway. The dim light from the streetlamp outlined his lean muscled frame. “Run, Rabbit, run.” The softly spoken words sent shivers down my spine. “Try to get away.” He’d named me Rabbit when we’d first met in Budapest a little over a year ago. Only he could call me by that nickname, he had earned the privilege. No one else had my permission.

My options for escape narrowed. The garden contained more gates, but I didn’t know where. We’d been playing since sunset and he already prevented my leaving three other times. If I gave up he would be disappointed. I understood his need to hunt, yet I grew tired of losing, too.

I eyed a wide Banyan tree by the fence. Long vines hung from the branches, waiting to root themselves one day. Before Rurik bound me to him, I wouldn’t have considered the crazy plan formulating in my head. The blood we shared made me faster and stronger. I healed quicker and didn’t get sick. Best of all, I stayed young. Worst of all, if he died, so did I.

Marriage vows seemed weak compared to that. So if he needed a little hide-and-seek in the dark, I played with him.

 Annie Nicholas

http://www.annienicholas.com/

Are you a purist?

I recently saw a post about how romance was ruining urban fantasy. What's your take? Do you like a little romance in your urban fantasy? Or would you prefer it straight up?

I'm about 10k into what I think is an urban fantasy, but I'm on the fence about the romance part. I'm actually leaning toward leaving out the romance, especially if it turns out this could be the first of a series. Would a romance muddy it up? If there's a romance, should it continue throughout the series? Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Interview at Naughty Novelists

I'll be chatting about Howl at the Naughty Novelist http://www.cheriedesues2.com/naughty-novelist.html through Thursday. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Howl.

Hope to see you there!

Character Interview w Jacque

My hunky demon, Jacque Toussant was interviewed at Got Romance Author Interviews today. Please stop by and check him out and feel free to ask him any questions you may have. He is itching to chat.

Check out this review and vote!!

The following five star review placed our Barbara in the running for top pick. Run over and vote. Hurry. Poll ends midnight tonight, Oct 10th

http://www.blackravensreviews.com/polls.php

What can I say about Trueblood 5: Fight to Remember? It’s freakin’ awesome.

Ms Elsborg has taken several of my favorite genres combined them into one and the results are nothing less than outstanding. This is a book I would recommend to anyone who happens to love the paranormal genre and bdsm with a dash of m/m thrown in.
Kier’s character pulled on my heartstrings when his pure sexiness didn’t have me catching my breath. Add in the tortured Rhyl and the forgetful Piper and you have a complete cast for this sexy, fast paced and sizzling hot story. Lets not forget to add in a villain or two. No story would be complete without them. I will be looking at Ms. Elsborg’s backlist to read the rest of the books in this series.

Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by Tamara!

http://www.blackravensreviews.com/polls.php

Monster Mash

As a kid, one of my favorite Saturday afternoon activities was watching old monster movies on TV. Every Saturday for the month of October, Mariposa's Musings http://mariposacruz.blogspot.com/ will explore the men behind the monsters. The actors from those early fright flicks suffered everything from physical discomfort to typecasting for their roles, but their contributions help shape a fledgling genre into an enduring fan favorite.

Stop by Mariposa's Musings today to find out which silent film star born to deaf-mute parents on April Fools day 1883 became known as "The Man of a Thousand Faces".

First review for Surfacing!

Wow, I love this review. It's especially gratifying when the reviewer "gets" your work, which is absolutely the case with this BookWenches review of Surfacing:

There is something about mermaids that tickles our imagination. Many of us loved the Ron Howard movie Splash when it came out in the 1980s, and the tale (and ‘toon) of The Little Mermaid has enchanted countless little girls. These mythical creatures resound with romance and whimsy, and if you're as fascinated by them as I am, then I’ve got a treat for you: Cate Masters’ novel Surfacing. This is a very well-written and involving story that features a young man who has lost his sense of direction in life but who regains his self-esteem, his family, and his future when he meets and falls in love with a mermaid.

Ms. Masters’ writing style is smooth and effortless in Surfacing, providing a comfortable and enjoyable read. I found myself drawn to her characters and their world almost immediately, and within a few pages I became completely lost in the story. Not only are her characters well-rounded and believable, but so is the setting.

Ms. Masters has a knack for well-executed yet understated emotion; I found watching AJ and his grandfather bond to be quite moving.

Surfacing is a delightful, entertaining, and touching read that will have readers rooting for the young hero and hoping that somehow fairytales can come true. This is more than a romance: it is a coming-of-age story that will linger in my memory. I truly enjoyed every page, and I think that if you decide to read it, you may as well."

There's even more - you can read the full review here.

A huge thank you, Bobby. You made my week!

Writer's Wednessday

Stop by and visit Delusions of Grandeur. Today we're chatting with E.D. Walker and discussing her new release Beauty's Beast.

www.vividumas.wordpress.com  

Vivi is Guest Blogging!

Our very own Vivi Dumas is over at my blog telling us a little more about herself and her upcoming releases -- including her debut novel Soul Catcher!

Come on over and get to know Vivi!!

http://blog.rebeccaleighromance.com/

I have a Cover!

MAY 2011

A little Halloween magic

I'm looking for about a dozen authors to help me celebrate Halloween by being a guest on my blog.

If you write paranormal/fantasy, or have a Halloween-themed release, email me at cate.masters(at)gmail.com if you want to be a featured author at http://catemasters.blogspot.com. It's a chance to share some favorite Halloween memories, recipes, legends - and of course, promo your story. :)

Join in the magic! But hurry, space is limited.

New Member Waving Hello!

Hello, lovers of all things dark and strange, magic and, well...paranormal.

I'm Angel Martinez and I write erotic fiction, mostly M/M, though I've been known to throw down the occasional hetero short story, and mostly Urban Fantasy of one stripe or another. Elves, vampires, ghosts, demons, and all the other non-human or once-human inhabitants of our universe have been my companions since childhood.

What can I say? I'm a believer.

A few years ago, I took a particular interest in that enigmatic Irish spirit, the pooka. (Not sure what a pooka is? I just happen to have an article on it - What the Heck's a Pooka Anyway?) This research gave birth to a particular pooka, a handsome, devil-may-care, smartass of a pooka, Finn. He has been my faithful companion since I first wrote about him in 2008.

His eponymous novel, Finn, its holiday short story follow-up, Finn's Christmas, and the new (released last month!) full length sequel, Diego are currently carried by Red Rose:

Finn: Endangered Fae #1
A mysterious stranger on the rail of the Brooklyn Bridge...
The heartsick novelist whose life is falling to pieces...
Sanity is relative and the world has room for more than one truth.

Finn's Christmas: EF #1.5
Who but humans would hold celebrations during the dark months when it's time to sleep? Finn navigates the oddities of the season and desperately searches for the inspiration he needs.

Diego: EF #2
A fit of jealous rage hurls Diego and Finn through the supposedly impenetrable Veil into the Otherworld. Power struggles, dying fae, Diego and Finn caught in the middle - it can't get any worse, can it? Oh, wait, the U.S. government's about to get involved...



And coming late in November from Amber Allure - my M/M vampire novel, A Different Breed

I asked my son, who is an unabashed Twilight despiser, if he would still speak to me if I wrote a vampire story. He said, "Of course you can write a vampire story. Just make sure it's good. And no glitter."

I promise, there's lots of action and heated tension...but no glitter.

Now Available: Del Fantasma: Demonade

A psyvamp meets an ex-priest in a bar. But even Cody’s matchmaking magic can’t overcome Trudy’s dangerous demon nature. Passion flares but Gabriel and Trudy must find a way to overcome the past that threatens her. 

Stop by my blog to see where I'll be chatting this month for a chance to win an ebook!

*Sale Page*

Krista Ball's on my blog

Help her celebrate the release of Harvest Moon with a comment on my blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com.

Come on over and join the celebration!

The Small Print - out today

The Small Print – Barbara Elsborg

I’m in trouble.

Matty suddenly finds herself back in her childhood home, naked and alone, with no clue how she came to be there. When her greedy uncle sells Milford Hall from under her, Matty hides in the attic.

The woman is trouble.

Vampire historian, Turner, has long had his eye on Milford Hall and there is no price he won’t pay to own it. He doesn’t expect to find an aggravating female living in his attic insisting she has a right to be there. The small print in the contract backs her up but Turner is determined to maintain his privacy. Doesn’t matter she’s the hottest thing he’s seen for years— in order to protect her from his mistakes, Matty has to go.

I eat trouble for dinner

After a self-imposed twenty year absence from Turner, werewolf Catch arrives to put the past right and save his former lover from circling enemies. But one kiss from Matty and Catch has more than Turner to worry about. Neither boy wants to share their new toy.

If you leave a comment on here or on my blog - http://www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com/ I'll choose one winner at random to receive a copy of one of my ebooks - your choice. Please make sure you leave contact details if you'd like a chance to win.

Ihttp://www.jasminejade.com/p-8634-the-small-print.aspx

Kiki’s October Haunted Places Contest

Burying Point – Salem, MA

It is funny, but even with Halloween being one of my favorite holidays and the fact that I write paranormal stories year round, those created Haunted Houses set up all over the place this time of year are just not my thing at all!  However, real haunted houses or places, I am not so sure about.  I recently went on a two and a half hour Haunted Footprints tour of Salem, MA one night this summer.  While I didn’t encounter any ghosts, my camera says other wise.  And, when I was young, there was this abandoned house in the woods behind my own home that I often explored during the day.  By the looks of the place, it could have easily been haunted.  I have often wondered if the house is still standing.  It would be cool to go back there now, and at night.  So, of course it is no surprise that I used it as a setting in one of my stories.

Excerpt from “The Stone Hex” in the Mystic Stones Anthology:

“Having come to the end of the trail she followed, Rachael paused where

the full green of the tree line gave way to an open expanse of land. The remains of a field, long unattended, rolled out before her until the sun-drenched colors of the landscape took on the blackness of shadow. From where she stood it seemed as if the long-abandoned house had burned the earth with its mere presence. The symmetry of the two-story square made it appear intimidating, despite it’s aged wood and cracking paint, as if the house was smirking at her in a domineering stance. Furthermore, the large fallen tree whose weight the house now sustained seemed an elaboration of contorted fingers grappling for possession of the sky itself. Dead twigs of brown held onto its foundation as if paying homage to their master.

Once she left the protection of the trees, the house, black with the soot of

neglect, chilled her even as the sun burned upon her shoulders. Nevertheless,

this was how the house had greeted her for years. As a few clouds rolled in

muting the sun, the light-play of shadows gave the illusion of specters in the

windows.

Alone with this house, Rachael always realized how far she had come

from civilization; nonetheless, she still reveled in her solitude. She had left far

behind the small fall of water in the woods just beyond her backyard that always enticed her to sit and the upward curve of the stream that always lured her up the hill. Pulling up onto the creaking porch from the bare ground where steps must have once been, she stepped gingerly.

She squeezed her body into the house beside the ancient heavy door with

rusted hinges and walked into the living room as if she owned the place. The

sun filtering through the filthy windows furthered the anomaly of the eerie feel of an aged room. It never ceased to amaze her how time took its toll. She started up the stairs walking with her hand on the wall never quite trusting the wobbly banister or the middle of the warped stairs. Her hand grazed over an upturned seam of the yellowing wallpaper right where an old red flower bled across it.”

So, in the spirit of Halloween and Haunted Places everywhere, I wanted to hold a contest during the month of Halloween.  All you have to do is send an email to howell [dot] kiki [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line “Haunted House Contest Entry” before midnight on Oct. 30^th, 2010  In the body of the email  you can either (a) share a brief account of a time you visited a real haunted place (regardless of whether you encountered any paranormal activity or not), or (b) tell me whether you like those created haunted houses or not sharing where the scariest one is.  Easy!  If you are reading this on a blog, then share the same information in the comments section for an additional entry – just please include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Then, Sunday Oct. 31, I will pick the winners.  One winner will be picked randomly just for emailing or commenting on a blog, One winner will be picked out of those who were brave enough to enter those created haunted houses this time of year, and one winner will be chosen for sharing a real haunted place story with me.  I am reserving the right to choose extra winners as well based upon my reactions to the emails and comments. I mean it is Halloween, one just never knows what will happen *laughs evilly*

Winners will be contacted by email and announced on various blogs, etc.

Winners will be able to chose one ebook in PDF format from my released stories.  Eligible book titles are listed below. For book blurbs, reviews, lists of paranormal creatures and erotic content warnings for each please visit my website, www.kikihowell.com

Mystic Stones Anthology

The Witches Beast Novella

The Healing Spell and Other Stories Anthology

Rituals Novella

A Modern Day Witch Hunt Short Novel

A Questionable Hero Novella

The Sorcerer’s Songs Novella