Author Spotlight: Guest Post by Amanda Wolfe

Today I welcome Amanda Wolfe to the blog.  Amanda is the author of Secrets Of The Black Box (read my review here).

In the beginning, the whole purpose of this book, well, journal really, was to allow me to come face to face with and rid myself of what I had stored up in my black box. It is what I call the place in the pit of your stomach where you hide all your secrets; good, bad or ugly. My box was filled with ugly: quilt, embarrassment and a lot of shame and confusion. In short, it was just to painful to face head on.

It all started when my husband and I were having one of our ” OK, it’s time to bare your soul” conversations. He is the only one person who could ever make me do that, because I knew he would never use what I say against me in any way. He has always given me the space to get angry, cry, rant and rave like a lunatic when I needed to. Believe me, it has happened more than once!

It took a lot of years of his patience and understanding to get me this far, allowing me to face and rid myself of all these bad feelings I carried around with me always. They made me hard on the outside. He called it my wall and little by little it has crumbled. I’m not saying I don’t feel things from my past anymore, I do, but now they don’t paralyze me. I still have trust issue from time to time! but they no longer rule my life.

During this conversation I laughed and said I should write a book about all of this, but who the heck would believe it? He told me he thought that is exactly what I should do. I should start writing it all down, because writing was a great way to release feelings that you have difficulty talking about. We both agreed it would be a great outlet.

So I began writing it all down and, once started , I had a difficult time stopping. The emotions started pouring out of me. Sometimes I would come out of my office so angry I could spit.The memories that came flooding back were unbelievable. The sky in my world was not as rosy as I had made it out to be. My siblings’ annoyance with me remembering my past through rose- colored glasses was finally realized and understood.

My husband was right there for all of it, lending his understanding and support.I don’t think I could have done this without him. I’m very grateful to him for being there in all the craziness I went through.

After reading some of what I had written, he told me I should make it into a book, because it could really help other girls and women to know that they can go through bad things and still come out on top. I decided that if I was going to make it into a book that I wanted to bring the reader right along with me on the journey that I was going through in my emptying out process. I wanted them to come out the other side with me feeling a little inspired and wanting more. More importantly, I wanted them to know that if they themselves have been or are being abused that they are not alone.

There are options out there for everyone, even though you may think there are none for you. Trust me, I’ve been there. There are many, many forums out there with people who are willing and want to help you get the help you need. Even if it is just an anonymous voice at the other end of the phone.

A friendly voice can go a long way.

Amanda Wolfe was born in Ottawa, Canada in the mid ‘60s. She matured at a very young age out of necessity growing up in unusual circumstances. She has always been a happy-go-lucky, carefree spirit and a very strong-willed person. She has done everything from waitressing to owning her own restaurant and selling things from Mary Kay cosmetics to real estate.

She is married to a wonderful man. They currently reside in the great state of Texas with their horses. When she is not at home writing her latest novel, you will find her and her husband flying in their plane and traveling the world together.

For more information or to contact Amanda Wolfe, visit her website http://beneaththesilverlining.com

Author Spotlight: Guest post and book feature by Inez Kelly

Today I welcome author Inez Kelly to the blog.  Inez is here to introduce Lipstick On His Collar, her latest smoking hot read.

You know the instant you catch that cute guy’s eye from across the room? That electric crackle that races down your spine and tingles all through your blood? That precise minute is when magic happens. The possibilities are endless. Maybe he’ll be nothing more than a quick fantasy to make you smile a year from now while doing dishes. Maybe he’ll be a few hours of flirting and making you feel alive with jitters. Maybe, just maybe, that spark will grow, morph into a fire that will scorch you into a wet puddle. That look… is priceless.

For a few seconds, anything is possible. You’re looking at him; he’s looking at you and… sizzzzzzzzzzzzzzle

That look, even if it never goes beyond that single glance, is the stuff of fantasies. It’s also the premise and opening for LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR. One look sparked a wildfire that burnt deep into Bram Winter’s soul.

She opened her eyes and her gaze landed on him like a brushfire. Hot met dry and a spark flashed, exploded and raged through him. Intense and appreciative, unblinking and direct, she did not look away. There was no chance she had accidentally engaged his notice. The look was too conscious, too appraising. With a quick drop of long lashes, her gaze vanished then returned to snag his.

Not unintentional. Deliberate.

Need scorched him, blazing hotter than the temperature and more intoxicating than the beer in his hand. She never stopped her rhythmic motions. But now, her eyes—wide mossy-green and shining with interest—locked with his, and she danced only for him. A pale pink tongue darted out to caress her upper lip, and he mimicked it, longing to taste what she silently offered. Temptation swept over him like a blistering tidal wave, stealing inside before he could think to shove it aside to break the powerful connection. He should. He would. In a minute.

She turned and rolled her hips. She held his gaze over her shoulder, her lips pouting as she finished her slow spin. Long fingers tipped in a frosty pale color slid down her body, and his palms itched. He knew fire sirens but she was a Siren, her call reaching across the ocean of people to entice him, lure him, draw him closer.

Now for Bram and his mystery lady, things got hot fast. He was left with a memory of one wild, blazing night and a longing to feel the burn again. Once he found her five months and hundreds of miles later, things got even hotter. But remember, if you play with fire, you just might get burnt.

LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR from Samhain Publishing Nov. 23, 2010

Read an excerpt

Book Summary

He never thought his next wildfire would be wearing a red dress.

“Make me your goddess and I’ll take you to heaven.” This sultry promise sparks a scorching, unforgettable one-night stand. The next morning Bram Winters awakes with a hickey and a head full of wicked memories—alone. His nameless goddess is gone without a trace, along with his shirt. And his heart.

Five months later, he stumbles across his mystery lady in a Laundromat, but she still won’t give up her name. Worse, she begs him to leave, no questions asked. Once he catches the spark of terror in her eyes, though, his firefighter training takes over—and he digs in for the duration.

Lady never wanted Bram to see her life’s ugly underside, but it’s too late—his socks are already in the washer. He was supposed to be her declaration of independence from her unstable ex, a bittersweet memory to carry into her new life.

Except the ex continues to stalks her.  And Bram’s reappearance sends her emotions and desires tumbling over the edge. As the minutes wear on, sexual tension rises faster than the steam from a hot water wash.

And Lady’s ex watches from the shadows, growing more furious by the minute…

Warning: Scorching sex, icy scissor play and an anonymous woman taking a wet slide down one hot ex-fireman’s pole. Beware of hot flashes and spontaneous combustion. Correct change not required.

LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR LINK

Inez Kelley is a multi-published author of various romance genres. You can visit her at her website http://inezkelley.com/  Follow Inez on twitter at @Inez_Kelley or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/inez.kelley JOIN Inez on Novemeber 24^th on her site for her special BIRTHDAY BONANZA BLOW OUT and over two dozen chances to win free books including LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR!

Spooktacular Halloween Bash Guest Post and Giveaway#7: Jodi Langston-Contest Closed

I hope everyone is having fun reading all the guest post and entering the giveaways.  Today is the seventh day of the Spooktacular Halloween Bash and I welcome author Jodi Langston to the blog.

I've had a few unusual experiences i my life. One was seeing a ghost. I was in my living room one day and looked into the dining room. I saw a woman in a white torn dress standing there. I felt as if she was trying to tell me something. She was sort of traslucent but I couldn't see through her completely. We lived a half a block from the cemetery.

My most unusual experience was about two years ago. I was working the 3-11 shift and was about a mile from when I started feeling ill. I couldn't breathe and had an 'all gone' feeling. I was so greatful to see my son pull in the driveway right after me. I as diabetic and thought I was having an unusual low blood sugar reaction so I ate a handful of candy and sat on the couch. 

My son was extremely worried and asked if I needed the ER and I told him I didn't think so. More time passed and I improved little I told my son I felt like I was dying but I knew I wasn't. I went to bed around 2am and woke up the next day ... so all was good.

My son came home early from work the next day and told me his father, my ex-husband had died the night before. He later told me he dreamt about his father that night. We were all in court and his father was on trail standing before a judge. Maybe, he actually was standing before a judge, trying to explain the life he had lived.

Happy Halloween!

Jodi is a lover of nature and all things creative. She’s been writing prose and poetry since she first picked up a pencil. Jodi also draws and takes photos in her spare time. She’s a fan of the romantic suspense genre. She need plenty of action to go along with her romance so she tries to give that to her readers as well. 5% of Jodi’s sales go to diabetic research.  Visit Jodi at her website http://jodilangston.blogspot.com for another chance to win.

Contest Alert!! 

Jodi is offering ebooks of Always and her new release, Nature Of The Beast, to one lucky commenter.  Contest ends Nov 3.  Winner will be randomly selected, emailed and will have three days to respond before another winner is picked.  

To enter Jodi's giveaway, you must

1. Read the Contest and Giveaway Rules
2. Be a follower of the blog thru Google Friend Connect
3. Leave your comment with your email addy in case you win

Good Luck!!

Spook you tomorrow when Moira Rogers hosts a winner’s choice ebook giveaway. 

Spooktacular Halloween Bash Guest Post and Giveaway #5: Eve Langlais-Contest Closed

It's day five of my Spooktacular Halloween Bash.  Today I welcome Eve Langlais to the blog with a short story just for you!

Well folks, I couldn’t come up with a subject for a blog, so instead I created a short Halloween treat. Enjoy!

“There’s nothing to be scared of.” I said the words aloud as my psychiatrist suggested, but they didn’t make me feel any braver.

How pathetic am I? Almost thirty and still scared of the dark. It’s why I began seeing a shrink. I hated how my fear ruled me, especially when my live in boyfriend had to work out of town.

Tonight was the big test though. The moment of truth where I would discover if my hundreds of dollars spent on therapy was worth the tightening of my financial belt.

And my doctor, sadistic bastard, had chosen the worst of nights to test me. ‘A true measure’ he said of my progress. So here I was, alone on Halloween just after eleven pm, steeling myself to brave the night and the bogey man that no amount of therapy could convince me didn’t live under my bed.

I readied myself by brushing my teeth vigorously. I combed my hair a hundred  strokes.  I scrubbed my face clean. I delayed as long as I could, but I could hear the phantom voices of my parents in my head screaming, “Stop screwing around and get to bed”.  They’d never understood my terror. They’d even laughed when they took my night light away and told me to stop being such a baby. It was a good thing I had a flashlight as backup for those terrifying times.

I walked with heavy feet to the gaping bathroom door. From the light projecting past my body into the bedroom, I could see my innocuous room. The walls painted a light mauve with white scalloped curtains. The bed against my wishes—my damned boyfriend scoffing at my phobia—sat inches above the floor, the gap covered by a skirt. But even hidden, I knew it was there, that space where the bogey man hid.

I repeated my mantra. “There’s nothing to be scared of. “ I looked down at my pale toes peeking out from beneath my nightgown and wiggled them. How many will I have left if they’re wrong I wonder?

No matter what my parents, my shrink and even my boyfriend said, I knew about the monsters under the bed. Everyone knew they existed even if they pretended otherwise. I learned at a young age there were ways of keeping them away-nightlights, sharing a room, for others passing into adulthood, and the best recourse--avoid having any space underneath the bed.

Silly childhood fantasies or nightmares.   I am a grown woman now and there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.

I flicked off the bathroom light and plunged the room into darkness. My heart sped up. Nothing to fear. I took a tentative step forward, ready to scream at the first scaly touch.

But nothing happened. I slid my other foot forward, the dim glow from the streets lights outside giving me just enough illumination to see the large bed looming a few feet away.

I wanted to run and leap into the safety of my covers. I wanted to race back to the bathroom and turn on the light, dispelling the shadows.

I did neither. With measured steps, I approached my bed until I stood about a foot away from the skirt that hid the gap under the bed that I feared so much.

“There’s nothing there,” I said aloud taking that last step.

“Oh yes there is,” said a gravelly voice as a pair of cold hands grabbed my ankles and yanked.

My ass hit the floor hard cutting off my scream before it could break glass with its shrill terror. The iron grip on my ankles pulled me into the maw under my bed and I scrambled frantically, my hands looking for purchase but finding nothing on the smooth hardwood floors.

Before I could take a deep breath and cry to the world how wrong they all were, I was yanked down a cold hole and mercifully passed out.

Eventually I woke up, still in the dark and shivering from cold and fear.  I heard the rustling of someone—probably a big nasty something given my location--and peered wildly at the black space that hid from view the bogey man who’d abducted me.

“Welcome to your new home,” said the same voice as before, it’s cool breath whispering on my neck.   I shivered, my fear choking me.  With a ripping sound, my nightgown was torn from my body and I finally managed a small scream which made the monster chuckle.

“I’ve waited a long time for you,” he said as his cold hands lightly brushed against my skin. I trembled again, but this time not just in fear. To my incredulity, my body responded to his touch and heat pooled in my lower tummy. This can’t be t happening...

A smooth, hairless form pressed itself against mine, a very male body that nudged at the apex of my thighs as big hands cupped and kneaded my shivering body. I felt the hard ridge of his muscles as he wrapped his body around me and his smell was like a cold winter breeze, refreshing and crisp.  

My mortification and terror grew as my body responded to the bogey mans’ touch.  And when his lips touched mine, I melted.  I sighed in the darkness, as he took my fears and dispersed them with his touch. I forgot my boyfriend and my phobia as his magical arousing embrace took me to rapturous heights—the pleasure was unbelievable.

When the thudding of my heart returned to normal and my body lay, spooned against his in sated relaxation, he snapped his fingers.  Hundreds of candles suddenly lit with a whoosh and my eyes blinked against the sudden brightness. Eventually the spots before my eyes dissipated, but how I wished the darkness had remained, for when I saw the creature that’d made my body sing with such delight, I screamed and screamed.  My hysterical cries echoing around the vast chamber until I passed out.

***

Happy Halloween folks and tonight when you turn out the lights be sure to make a running leap to the safety of your covers, lest you too be abducted and pleasured by the bogey man under your bed.

For more of me and my books, including 2 new releases for Halloween, visit me @ http://www.EveLanglais.com and be sure to enter the contest to win one my just released stories.

Contest Alert!!

If you enjoyed Eve's short story, I'm pretty sure that you'll want to check out her other Halloween treats.  Eve is giving away winner's ebook choice of Broomstick Breakdown or A Ghostly Menage. 

Contest ends on Nov 1st.  Winner will be randomly selected, emailed and will have three days to respond before another winner is picked.  

To enter Eve's giveaway, you must 

1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Read the Contest and Giveaway Rules
3. Leave your email addy in case you win
4. Answer this question:  What Halloween or monster movie scares the holy hell out of you?  Don't worry, we won't laugh...or will we?  Mwaaaahaaaaaaa!!

Good luck!!

Spook you tommorrow, when author Margie Church guest blogs with another short story and a chance to win ebooks of her Dangerous Love series.

Spooktacular Halloween Bash Guest Post and Giveaway#4 : Brita Addams-Contest Closed

It's day four of my Spooktacular Halloween Bash.  Today, I welcome author Brita Addams to the blog.

Sometimes the Strange isn't so Spooky

Brita Addams

The eerie and spooky, that is what Halloween is all about. That actually sounds like a good paranormal book, but that's neither here nor there. I have a tale to relate, which, though odd in the telling, having witnessed it doesn't seem al that spooky to me. It did however, freak my daughters out, both threatened to move out of the house or at least never set foot in it again, however that would work.

I was alone, everyone either at work or school. We lived in an old house, the house my husband had grown up in, as had his mother. My husband's grandmother had shared the house with his mother until Grandma's health necessitated her residence in a nearby nursing home. Soon after, we moved in, hubby's mother moved out and Grandma's rooms became our dining and living room.

I had many old family pictures scattered about, including one of my precious grandparents. The frame sat on a table beside the living room door for many months, opposite the chair I usually sat in. Truthfully, I spent an inordinate amount of time looking at that photograph, as I'd missed them terribly since their passing many years before. Still do, truth were known.

I'd been watching "Young and the Restless," and decided to take a break. I walked out of the living room, through the dining room and into the kitchen. As I prepared a sandwich, I heard a noise, odd since I was indeed alone. Upon returning to the living room, I found my grandparent's picture face down on the floor, too far away from the table to have been knocked off by me when I passed through.

I kind of chuckled, picked it up and said, "I guess you want a different view, huh?" I placed it on top of our console television and there it sat, the view evidently acceptable, as they never took another swan dive to the floor.

That began a week of strange events in that house. A couple mornings later, I was still in bed. My husband had already kissed me good-bye and it was too early for my daughter to get up for school. I was catching that last five minutes we all seem to beg for. I wasn't asleep, just dozing. Then I felt a sensation as though someone had sat on the bed behind me. I knew the cat wasn't in the room, as the door was closed. There was no logical explanation for the feeling, but at the same time, I felt a great peace. I remember my heart didn't even flutter. There was just calm. I didn't open my eyes, but felt as though I'd been touched on my back, a rubbing motion, up and down.

A childhood recollection came upon me. I used to sit on my grandmother's lap, even as an early teenager and she'd rub my back, up and down, down and up. I loved it then, especially the day she discovered I was wearing a bra. "You're making me feel old," she said, as she snapped the elastic. I remember laughing at her comment, probably already thinking she was old. (She died at only 56)

The rubbing lasted for a few moments, then I felt the distinct sensation of someone getting off the bed. The peacefulness lasted, though. No alarm, no heart fluttering, just a very special calm that I'd always felt around the precious woman I called Gram. 

Tina Ordone has been an author all her life.  She recently fulfilled a lifelong dream by becaming a publisher author in 2010.  She writes historical romances under her birth name, but writes erotic historical romance under her pen name, Brita Adams.  She was born in New York but makes her home in the south.

Contest Alert!!!

Brita is giving away all three ebooks of her Sapphire Series.  That's right, one lucky winner will win Chocolate, Tea, and the Duchess, Lord Decadant's Obsession and Serenity's Dream.Contest ends Oct. 31st.  Winner will be randomly selected, emailed, and will have 72 hours to respond before another winner will be chosen.

For a chance to win, you must

Read the Contest and Giveaway rules

Be a follower of the blog thru Goggle Friend Connect

And make a comment on this post including your email addy

Extra pts: 

1pt for commenting on this post

1pt for Tweeting or mentioning this contest on Facebook or your own blog (must include exact link)

2pts for posting the contest button on your blog

Good Luck!!!

Spook you tomorrow when author Eve Langlais visits the blog with a new short story and a chance to win one of her Halloween ebooks.

Spooktacular Halloween Bash Guest Post and Giveaway #3: Laura Stamps- Contest Closed

It’s day three of my Spooktacular Halloween Bash.  Today I welcome author Laura Stamps to the blog.

When Yvonne asked me to do a guest blog post for her Halloween event the first thing that came to mind was the one and only time I did a book signing on Halloween.  It later became a chapter in the first book in my "Memoir Series" called "Being Naughty: The Life & Times of an Erotica Novelist." 

Anyway, I had been doing a series of book signings at my local Waldenbooks in 2008 with a vampire novelist from Charleston, SC.  We did our first one in July, and she had so much fun she thought we should do more together.  And we did.  And we had a blast.  She's kinda shy, so she loved how I would jump people in the mall with my oversexed self (okay, I'm not timid *lol*).  If they weren't into erotica I would send them to her table for her horror-type vamp books.

It was her idea to do the Halloween book signing, and it would be my first on a Friday night.  She had told me Friday nights are best for her, and I thought I'd give it a shot.  I'd always done book signings on Saturday afternoons cause that's when the lusty ladies come out to do their shopping.  But who knows?  Maybe Friday night would also be a good one for me and my books.

Unfortunately, she backed out on me at the last minute.  In fact, she didn't even tell me she couldn't come up from Charleston to do the book signing.  The manager of Waldenbooks told me.  Bummer, cause I would have cancelled it.  That night was also the hand fasting (wedding) of one of my Pagan friends in Columbia.  It was a costume hand fasting, and I really wanted to go.  But I had promised the vamp author I would do this book signing.  By the time I found out she'd cancelled on me I'd already sent promo out to all my local fans, so I couldn't back out.  Argh!

BTW, when you read this chapter you should know before I married Wes on my blog I was married to a man I called the "Uber."  That's cause he's an irritating Uber Alpha.  Shortly after this Halloween fiasco I divorced the Uber and married Wes, my current husband. *lusty grin*

Okay, here's that Halloween chapter from "Being Naughty."  Enjoy!

The Queen of Sex

 Halloween is actually the last Sabbat in the Wiccan year.  Pagans call it Samhain, and it’s also the last day of our year.

Having said that, I hope you had a good one because my Samhain was totally insane! 

As you know, the vampire author from Charleston couldn't do the book signing with me last night at Waldenbooks, because she's vacationing in Mexico at the moment. 

So I decided not to dress up in my "Sexy Witch" costume.  Turns out I never could find a shirt to look good under that sheer black babydoll lingerie.  Some things are just meant to be worn commando, I guess.  And that babydoll is definitely one of them. 

So I threw a pink girly shirt, dark jeans, and boots, and headed out to the bookstore.  Ya know, my usual book signing outfit.

Columbiana Mall doesn't do Halloween for the kids, but much to the merchants' surprise they did last night.  Suddenly by 5:30 little goblins and ghosties were pouring into the bookstore for candy. 

By then I'd already realized my book buyers and fans are NOT the Friday night crowd.  Good thing to know, because I much prefer Saturday afternoon book signings anyway. 

Yeah, that also means I cancelled the book signing next Friday night (also set up by the vampire author) on November 7.  She can't come, and I won't be there either now.

Anyway, after the kids invaded the bookstore, I called it a night and left really early, like before 6:00pm.  Then I buzzed the Uber's Blackberry and told him to take me out to dinner. 

When we finish eating, Penny, one of the servers and a big fan of my novels gives me a hug and says, "I told my friend the other day I know a famous person."  Then she points to me and exclaims, "The Queen of Sex!" 

I start laughing, but the Uber rolls his eyes and moans like Oh-no-not-again. 

My other name in Columbia is "Porn Laura."  He's not fond of that one either.

I hustle him out of the restaurant into the parking lot, and as we walk to our car, he kids me about being the "Queen of Sex" now. 

I look up at the clear, dark sky and the waxing moon and say, "This day has been so bizarre, you know what I really want?" 

"What?"  

"SEX!” I shout.  “I need it!!" 

He grins and squeezes my hand.  "You're a wild little thing, aren't you?"

Two hours later I'm lying flat on my back in bed so sexually satisfied I can barely keep my eyes open.  All I can do is purr. 

Yeah, Penny got it right.  Somehow, someway, book signings always end on a lusty note for the "Queen of Sex." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Laura Stamps is an award-winning paranormal erotica novelist, whose daily blog is wickedly naughty. Her work has been published in over a thousand magazines, literary journals, and anthologies worldwide. The recipient of a Pulitzer Prize nomination and seven Pushcart Award nominations, she is the author of more than 52 books. A Wiccan Faery Witch, empath, and psychic, Laura enjoys writing novels about contemporary pagans living in the Deep South. Because she portrays pagans realistically, her novels are full of real spells, chants, and rituals. You'll also find romance and HOT sex in her books. Why? Because she's totally oversexed and loves it! Currently, Laura lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with her yummy husband Wes (oh, how she loves his long blonde hair! *lusty grin*) in an antebellum-style house. Beyond her backyard lies a state forest, which just happens to be full of faeries.

Find out more about Laura by visiting her websites http://www.avampskiss.blogspot.com and http://www.erotica-laurastamps.blogspot.com

Contest Alert!!!

Laura is giving away an ebook copy of her book, A Vampire's Kiss.  The contest will end on Oct 30.  To enter the contest, you must

1.     Be a follower of the blog
2.     Read the Contest and Giveaway Rules
3.     Post a comment on this post
4.     Leave your email addy in case you win

Good luck!!

Spook you tomorrow when author Brita Addams visits the blog with a chance to win ebook copies of her Sapphire Series.

Spooktacular Halloween Bash Guest Post and Giveaway #2: E J Stevens-Contest Closed

It's the second day of my Spooktacular Halloween Bash.  Today I have author E J Stevens visiting the blog with spooky poetry.

Woman in White

Traveling along the roadside

On this wet fog laden night

I catch a brief glimpse up ahead

Of a lone woman in white

Wondering if I can offer

Assistance to this lady fair

I dismount and call out to her

But she only turns to stare

What foul thing could have befallen

This damsel to strike her mute?

Perhaps then she is no fair lady

But a dame of ill repute

I shall take her with me

I’ll keep her warm in my bed

A reward for taking her in

From this road few others tread

Her presence could complicate things

As my wedding night draws near

So long as my wife’s family

Remain blind there’s naught to fear

A plan already taking form

I reach out to take her arm

But as the clouds move past the moon

Light shines on a wedding charm

Not a harlot then just a bride

Now obvious by her dress

Glowing white beneath the full moon

So lovely but in distress 

Trying again to be helpful

I reach out to take her hand

Only then do I see the blood

Dripping onto rock and sand

In her right hand she held a knife

Her left clutched her husband’s heart

Her husband had been unfaithful

Tearing her world and mind apart

She looked with frenzied hatred on

A lecherous wretch like me

Quickly slashed head from body

Tossing the head into the sea

So hear me all unfaithful men

Attend these words of the dead

Beware of the Woman in White

Or you too may lose your head.

-Woman in White, Shadows of Myth and Legend by E.J. Stevens

Copyright 2010

E.J. Stevens is the author of the haunting collection of dark poetry FROM THE SHADOWS, the chilling collection of paranormal poetry SHADOWS OF MYTH AND LEGEND, and newly released novel SHE SMELLS THE DEAD the first book in the Spirit Guide young adult paranormal romance series. 

Contest Alert!!!

E. J. is giving away a signed copy of her latest release, She Smells The Dead (here's my review) along with bookmarks and postcards.  Contest starts Oct 25 and ends on Oct 29.  

Winner will be randomly selected, emailed, and will have 72 hours to respond before another winner will be chosen.

For a chance to win, you must

1. Read the Contest and Giveaway rules
2. Be a follower of the blog thru Goggle Friend Connect
3. Fill out the Entry Form

Extra pts: 

1pts for commenting on this post

1pts for Tweeting or mentioning this contest on Facebook or your own blog (must include exact link)

2pts for posting the contest button on your blog

Good Luck!!!

Spook you tomorrow, when author Laura Stamps visits the blog with a chance to win her ebook, Vampire Kisses.

Author Spotlight: Guest Post by Bill Walker

Today I welcome Bill Walker, author of A Note From An Old Acquaintance (read my review here).


I'll start off this post by asking a silly question: Is setting really that important? I mean couldn't most books work just about anywhere? Okay, that was two questions, but even though the answer seems obvious, many writers often consider setting in a lesser light than their human characters. Yet, one would never even think to set a book like Gone With The Wind in Brooklyn, would they? For that book the setting was as important as any of the human characters. I'd even go so far as to say the setting in GWTW is a character, a living breathing part of the book.

For my novel, A Note from an Old Acquaintance, Boston is an integral part of the story. I used it because I spent many years living there and am intimately familiar with it. It was a natural choice because it goes back to that hoary old piece of writing advice: "Write what you know." And while it's true many fine books are written by authors who conduct exhaustive research, there is no substitute for having "been there and done that."

So, how does one make one's settings more vivid without overdoing it? My best advice is to use just a few choice words to describe the room. This isn't the 19th century, where readers expected to be told every little agonizing measurement and detail. Instead, what contemporary writers do is weave those choice words into the narrative as they go along. Modern readers are far more visual and sophisticated and will fill in the spaces in their minds. In that sense, writing has become more cinematic. The other important part of setting is mood, the "feel" of the place. What is the atmosphere like in that room you're writing about? Here are a couple of examples:

Sherry wanted to cry when she first saw the inn's romantic attic room. It smelled of cinnamon and roses, mixed with the salty tang of the sea air billowing the homespun curtains. Late afternoon sun pooled on the scuffed slatted floor where dust motes swirled in the golden light; and the quilt-covered four-poster bed, nestled into the only corner of the room that was truly square, sagged in the middle, like an old swaybacked nag. She smiled, wondering how many honeymooners had spent their days and nights in it? Sherry squeezed her new husband's hand, knowing the island's rustic charms would have to wait a few days while they gave that saggy old bed a workout it would never soon forget.

Or this:

The single bare bulb cast a weak, jaundiced light around Mr. Hammond's basement, a light that did nothing to dispel the shadows or his fear. Jimmy tried the ropes again, but only succeeded in tightening the knot, something the old man had told him would happen. His tears had long-since dried, and his eyes felt puffy and gritty. But that wasn't the worst part. It was the crumbling moss-coated brick walls that seemed to close in on him and the hard dirt floor darkened by his urine. He could smell it now, the sting of ammonia tickling his nose. There was another smell, too. It came from the dark-red effluence congealing on the porcelain mortician's table with the drain in the center. All that was left of his buddy, Paul. Tears leaked from his eyes again and his nose began to run. He should have left the old man alone. He should have tried to earn money some other way. Now, he was going to end up like Paul...like the corpse of that dead rat rotting in the corner.

Both of these passages give very different impressions of the setting without going into too much detail. It's those kinds of images you want to convey to enhance whatever setting you choose. Done with care and finesse, proper setting can be a powerful force that together with plot and character will propel your story along in the readers mind and keep them turning those pages. And that's what all writers want.

Bill Walker is a graphic designer specializing in book and dust jacket design, and has worked on projects by Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. Between his design work and his writing, he spends his spare time reading voraciously and playing very loud guitar, much to the chagrin of his lovely wife and two sons. Bill makes his home in Los Angeles.

Visit Bill at his website.