Autumn/Halloween Countdown Blitz & Giveaway 2019 Day 10: Cursed Collectibles, an anthology By Jace Killan

Jace lives in Arizona with my family, wife and five kids and a little dog. He writes fiction, thrillers and soft sci-fi with a little short horror on the side. He holds an MBA and work sin finance for a biotechnology firm.

Jace volunteers with the Boy Scouts, plays and writes music, and enjoys everything outdoors. He's also a novice photographer.

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Spend an afternoon antiquing and it’s not hard to figure out why picking has become one of America’s fondest pastimes. It’s treasure hunting while connecting with history. But what if those treasures hunt us back?

From old books, to vinyl records, antique mirrors, vintage figurines, or a Bob’s Big Boy piggy bank, curses have no limits.

Featuring stories from D.J. Butler, Joy Auburn, Martin L. Shoemaker, Jessica Guernsey, John D. Payne, Jen Bair, Karen Pellett, Steve Ruskin, Tanya Hales, Lauren Lang, Frank Morin, Mike Jack Stoumbous, Kelly Lynn Colby, Jace Killan, Jo Schneider, Gama Ray Martinez, Martin Greening, Chris Abela, A.J. Mayall, Heidi A. Wilde, Shannon Fox, Lauryn Christopher, and Mark Leslie Lefebvre.

All proceeds of this book go to the Don Hodge Scholarship Fund for writers

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Q & A With the Author:

1.     When did you write your first novel?

a.     2017

2.     What drove you to write / why did you become an author?

a.     Always wanted to be an author. Meeting a tribe of writers helped it along.

3.     How do you create your characters?

a.     I use those around me for inspiration.

4.     What is one thing you love about Fall / Autumn?

a.     It's almost not hot.

5.     Who is the person or group of people that most support you in your writing?

a.     The Superstars Tribe.

6.     What is your favorite Halloween Memory?

Binging Season 1 of Stranger Things.

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Autumn/Halloween Countdown Blitz & Giveaway 2019 Day 9: Death at the Dakota: A Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery By Marni Graff

Marni Graff writes two award-winning mystery series: The Nora Tierney English Mysteries and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries. She teaches writing workshops and mentors the Writers Read program, and is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press. 

Graff also writes the crime review blog Auntie M Writes, www.auntiemwrites.com.

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Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O'Malley to the next level, when she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she can't even survive?

Readers of Death Unscripted, the first book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and police procedural.

Part procedural, part cozy, Death at the Dakota is a well-crafted and highly entertaining mystery.- Bruce Robert Coffin, #1 bestselling author of the Detective Byron mysteries.  

I fell in love -- not only with co-protagonists, Trudy and Ned, the richly detailed and historic setting of The Dakota, and the unique cast of characters, but with the unusual plot of Death at the Dakota. Sherry Harris, Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries

  
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Q & A With the Author:

     1.     When did you write your first novel?  I wrote my first novel when we were still living on Long Island, a mystery set at the Frick Museum in NYC. Unfortunately, our house burned down and I lost the entire manuscript, as well as my first computer and all the files. I have not rewritten that one. Instead after our move to NC, I set about writing a series set in England, being a real Anglophile and lover of all things British. That became The Blue Virgin and was published in 2010. 

2.     What drove you to write / why did you become an author? I've always loved to read and written poetry and stories since in junior high. I thought at one point in high school I might go into acting but realized pretty quickly I'd rather be the person who wrote the words and story the actors performed. That led to me learning screenplay format and writing a few of those, but my drive was to entertain readers with a book the way I'd loved reading since a child. It's still what drives me to write: the idea of sharing my stories with a reader, taking them into a fictional world that might closely mirror a real place, but choosing the characters and what happens to them.

3.     How do you create your characters? I spend a long time developing each character. Those for a series, like Trudy Genova and her boyfriend, Ned O'Malley, have entire backgrounds I've created for them, with aspects of their childhood, where they grew up, went to school, etc. I always decide what my characters' needs and fears are, too. These things help me figure out how each one will react in the circumstances I throw them into! In Trudy's case, she's a nurse with a nose for murder, which often frustrates Ned. But she feels she's a good judge of people and has a natural curiosity that can put her jeopardy at times. She also has a feel for wanting to help people, hence going into nursing, and a sense of justice and fairness that equals Ned's and is part of their attraction. They 'get' each other on that level, even though they are vastly different. I use the same technique for minor characters, maybe not just in as much depth.

4.     What is one thing you love about Fall / Autumn? Besides the cooler weather, I love the feel that reminds me of going back to school with new things on the horizon. It's my favorite season--of course, my birthday is in October so I'm prejudiced!

5.     Who is the person or group of people that most support you in your writing? My husband is super-supportive, but the people who really help are my writing group. We've been working together for 15 years now and the others are novelists, too, so while we write different genres, we understand the rhythms of a long term exploration of character, plot and setting. We meet yearly and go over our entire draft novels for each other; in between, we are available on email for checking scenes and running ideas past each other. I'd be lost without them.

6.     What is your favorite Halloween Memory? I grew up with a friend whose birthday is October 30th, so she always had a great Hallowe'en costume party, bobbing for apples, other games, making popcorn balls, and eating caramel apples, the whole nine yards. Great memories. We are still friends and when I bring a new book on tour to my hometown library, she comes out to see me and buys a book--and she always leaves a review! I'll be there in October on tour with Death at the Dakota and we've already set up lunch for our October birthdays.

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Autumn/Halloween Countdown Blitz & Giveaway 2019 Day 8:The Temple of the Exploding Head Omnibus By Ren Garcia

Ren Garcia is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author and Texas native who grew up in western Ohio. He has been writing since before he could write, often scribbling alien lingo on any available wall or floor with assorted crayons. He attended The Ohio State University and majored in English Literature. 

Ren has been an avid lover of anything surreal since childhood. He also has a passion for caving, urban archeology, taking pictures of clouds, and architecture. He currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, and their four dogs.

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Three books in one:

The Dead Held Hands

The Machine

The Temple of the Exploding Head

Starfarers and explorers, the League settled on Kana thousands of years ago. They found it to be a paradise, a perfect, virtually uninhabited planet waiting just for them in the cradle of space.

Lovely Kana … it was too good to be true …

But, all was not as it seemed. Simmering beneath the ground was a demented god who had soaked Kana in blood for untold ages, luring in victims, lying to them, and rejoicing in their suffering as they died at the hands of his dark angels.

And there will be blood again … From his Temple in the ground, the Horned God stirs.

When Lord Kabyl of Blanchefort, a young man troubled by the weight of the world, dares give his heart to a girl from a mysterious ancient household, one that pre-dates the League itself, he comes to know the shadows of the past that hover over her.

He comes to know of the Horned God, and for love he is destined to face him. All roads lead to the Temple of the Exploding Head, a place of evil and death, rooted in the ancient past, but also tied to the distant future.

“We were evil once,” she said, “and the gods are still punishing us…”

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Q & A With the Author:

1.       When did you write your first novel?[Ren Garcia]    I wrote Sygillis of Metatron in 2007

2.       What drove you to write / why did you become an author?[Ren Garcia]  I’m not sure anything in particular drove me to start writing. I had stories in my head, I wanted to get them out.

3.       How do you create your characters?[Ren Garcia]  I don’t have a set way of creating a character. Sometimes I have a thought in my head, iced with a few details. Sometimes things from my life (childhood, college, etc) combine and out comes a character. On a few occasions, the needs of the story call for the creation of a character. That sort of thing.

4.       What is one thing you love about Fall / Autumn?[Ren Garcia]  I I love windbreakers. I love wearing them, and Fall gives me the excuse to get them out again.

5.       Who is the person or group of people that most support you in your writing?[Ren Garcia]  I really have no idea. My books seem to appeal to an eclectic group.

6.       What is your favorite Halloween Memory?[Ren Garcia]  I’m pretty sure I saw Bigfoot on Halloween when I was a kid. We were going to the local graveyard—what we were going to do when we got there I can’t recall. But, as we approached, we all heard a terrifying cry. And then we saw it—a huge, lumbering “thing” moving through the graveyard, headed towards the woods. Yeah, that made an impression to be sure.

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Autumn/Halloween Countdown Blitz & Giveaways 2019 Day 7:Love is Death by L.P. Masters

Born and raised in the rainy streets of the Seattle Area, L.P. Masters spent her fair share of time staring out rain-streaked windows and writing books. Masters has always had extremely vivid dreams, which often spark inspiration for her novels. In 1999, after one such dream, Masters began her first writing project. She has participated in National Novel Writer's Month every November since 2010. Writing isn't the only thing she can do with a pen in her hand, she also enjoys sketching and drawing—with varying degrees of success. Masters now lives in the slightly-less-dreary city of Spokane Washington with her husband, four wonderful daughters, and two crazy dogs.

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Gina’s plan for her afterlife is simple: survive as long as possible. The afterlife is a ghost-kill-ghost kind of place. When she meets newly-dead Alec, she can’t help her desire to protect him. Before she knows it, she finds herself falling for him, despite the little voice in her head telling her it’s a bad idea.

Alec’s goals don’t mesh well with Gina’s plans. Determined to save his living sister from a murderer, he’s willing to disobey the laws of a well-established cult in the afterlife. If the cult finds out, they’ll kill him. Again. He’s hesitant to accept Gina’s help and threaten her afterlife, but he’s guaranteed to fail without her. Together they embark on a perilous mission, but the most dangerous aspect of all is the threat of falling in love. Because in the afterlife... love is death.

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Q & A With the Author:

1. When did you write your first novel? I started writing when I was 12 years old. Most of my stories at that time would have been categorized more as short stories or novellas. I didn’t start writing longer novel-length stories until I was closer to college age.
2. What drove you to write / why did you become an author? I LOVE telling stories. I LOVE creating characters and taking them through experiences. I’m always thinking about what could be, what should be, what would be. I have a passion for theme and always want my readers to get something out of my stories, even if what they get is, “Don’t be as dumb as that character was.” Usually my themes are deeper than that, but if they get that much at least, I’m happy.
3. How do you create your characters? A lot of times they create themselves. I often really work on their names, because the names are really important for my feelings toward the characters. I start writing the characters, not really knowing who they are, and eventually I find out. After a while I like to know a lot of history about them, so I do a lot of character interviews. If I try a character interview before starting the story, though, I often feel like I’m trying to force the character to be what I want him or her to be, instead of allowing the character to develop who they’re supposed to be.
4. What is one thing you love about Fall / Autumn? So hard to pick one, but I’ll play by the rules, so I’m going to say the colors.
5. Who is the person or group of people that most support you in your writing? My family. When I was younger and first starting out, it was definitely my mom. After I got married, my husband has been very supportive. My mom is still very helpful for me. I also have a group of friends I made doing NaNoWriMo, and we meet throughout the year. We’re always helping and supporting each other.
6. What is your favorite Halloween Memory? One Halloween when I was pretty young, I dressed up as a pumpkin. I wore my mom’s orange T-shirt, stuffed full of pillows to make me round. As we were going out to trick-or-treat I lost my balance and fell into a ditch. (Thankfully it was dry.) My sister ran over to me and helped me up and asked, “Are you okay, Pumpkin?” We all thought it was pretty funny.

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Autumn/Halloween Countdown Blitz & Giveaway 2019 Day 6: Unmasking the Duke By Donna Hatch

Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. 

A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband).

 A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

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The last thing Hannah Palmer wants to do is flirt with men in a crowded ballroom, but when her sister, the Countess of Tarrington, throws a Masquerade Ball, Hannah can’t say no to the invitation. 

Taking comfort behind her disguise, she dances with a charming masked gentleman, matching him wit for wit. When the glorious evening culminates in a kiss, and the two remove their masks, Hannah is horrified to discover the man she’s been flirting with all night is her most despised neighbor, the Duke of Suttenberg. 

No matter how charming the duke was at the ball, and how wonderful the kiss, he is the last man she could ever love.

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Q & A With the Author:

When did you write your first novel?

My first pathetic attempt was when I was in 7th grade. It was basically fan fiction. Around that time, I attempted screenplays too. I wrote my first novel that later became published (in the incarnation of it, at least) when I was in 9th grade.

What drove you to write/why did you become an author?

I've always loved making up stories and have been writing them down since 3rd grade. At the time I thought they were epic but now I look back on them and want to put a sack over my head. Fortunately, I never attempted to get them published—I just kept writing for fun. Then one day, I attended a workshop at a local library where an author spoke of her writing journey and had just published her first book. That really awoke a dormant desire to see my stories in print.

How do you create your characters?

It's different with each story. Sometimes, they come to me fully formed and I just need to listen to them. Other times, I have to work at it with personality types, backstory development, and character interviews.

What is one thing you love about Fall/Autumn?

I love so many things about autumn! Cooler weather is high on my list which means fuzzy socks, sweaters, jackets, and spending more time outdoors hiking, walking, or just sitting on the porch swing. Also, I adore leaves turning all those gorgeous shades of red, gold, and rust. Autumn means hot apple cider and all of those amazing smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, candles, and firelight. Plus, Fall means Halloween with all the fun decorations as well as costumes. Yes, I love dressing up! But one of the best parts of Fall is gathering with family at Thanksgiving. My grown children can’t always come home for Christmas, so they often come home for “Thanks-mas” where we celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, then spend Friday decorating the house for Christmas so we can celebrate Christmas on Saturday. Usually, everyone leaves on Sunday so they can return for jobs and college. We get in every family tradition that we can during the time we have.

Who is the person or group of people that most support you in your writing?

My sisters-in-law were always super supportive and encouraging. Once I got published and brought home that first royalty check, my husband got on board and stopped viewing it as a time-consuming and expensive hobby, and started seeing it as a career—one that pays horribly, but still offering a monetary payoff. Now, one of my nieces is one of my go-to proofreaders as well as one of my staunchest supporters. I also couldn’t have done it without my local RWA group, my online Regency research group the Beau Monde, and my local American Night Writers Association chapters. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to my awesome, wonderful, amazing critique partners, beta readers, and proofreaders. They say it takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a village to raise a book.

What is your favorite Halloween Memory?

One of my favorites was when my third child was about a year old. After a dinner of baked potato soup, I put the baby in a stroller and followed around my older two children from house to house. My seven-year-old son was a ninja, my six-year-old daughter was a fox with a big, fluffy tail, and the baby was a fuzzy bear complete with little bear pads on his feet. I guess animals were popular in our family. I enjoyed chatting with the neighbors, seeing everyone dressed up, and enjoying my neighbors’ reactions to our costumes. The weather was perfect—cool enough that the costumes weren’t too hot but not so cold that we needed to wear jackets over them. After trick-or-treating and gathering enough candy to get a small country high on sugar, we went home and drank hot apple cider and handed out candy. I’m not sure why that stands out in my memory except that it epitomized the perfect Halloween. 

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