A hauntingly great All Hallows, everyone!

Welcome to today’s chat…we’re sharing stories — REAL stories –
about ghosts. Not the kind that find their way into storytelling
around the campfire where the “punch line” has everyone jumping in
their seat and then laughing in embarrassment. It’s all about personal brushes
with the unknown because it isn’t just ghost hunters that sometimes see things.

Share your tales of personal experiences of the ghostly kind, of
ectoplasmic family visitations passed down by deadly serious
relatives…well, not that they were dead themselves but that they
saw or spoke to one of the recently departed…or not so recently
departed.

I’ve had students tell me tales at this season of living in old
houses and, when coming home late at night, having found people
seated in rocking chairs on a long covered porch…a porch that
doesn’t normally HAVE rocking chairs, and a house that at the moment
has no one at home…no one living, that is.

Or stories told of young children refusing to play in their upstairs
room because “the lady up there doesn’t like me”…what lady? Not one
the adults can see.

Perhaps it’s just a feeling, one that makes the hair on the back of
your neck stand up…or perhaps you’ve witnessed a visitation
yourself?

In my family we have the tale of Uncle George who went off to fight
in Europe during World War I and didn’t come home…or did he?

His mother, my great-grandmother, was out in the barn (the story
doesn’t supply her reason for being there) and when she turned around
she saw George standing a few stalls away smiling at her. Startled,
she said, “George, when did you get home?” but he didn’t answer. He
smiled at her sadly and disappeared. Only weeks later did she learn
he’d been killed that day on a field in Germany.

My own experience is nothing more than lacking the nerve to walk
through the guardhouse on the medieval wall in York, England, when I
visited because the dark interior seemed too eerie…the spirits of
centuries past still guarding the way? In any event, I went down the
steps, across the ancient roadway (now paved) and back up the steps
on the otherside rather than gather any courage to stride boldly
though the shadows. Yes, I’m a coward that way.

Do I believe in ghosts? Well, let’s say in the dark of night (or on a
medieval wall), I’m not saying I don’t believe. Why take chances? One
day I may be haunting a particular spot myself. Most likely the desk
where I write…there will still be unfinished projects on it to keep
me there, hovering. I hope the children of that future household find
me a friendly ghost. Casperish rather than scary.

So share your own stories. The more the merrier…or is that scarier? Bah ha ha!
Author of ARDEN’S TOUCH
Sometimes it takes a ghostly matchmaker in the race to find love.
www.RomanceAndMystery.com

Today’s a bit short because I just realized my kid is doing the costume thing today instead of tomorrow and to make it even more fun, the school doesn’t allow superhero costumes, which is, of course, what I have for him to wear. So now I have to go scrounge something up for him. I’m thinking punk rocker. Why dressing up my kid as an icon for anti-establishment behavior is more acceptable than Superman, I have no idea. Anyway.

In other news, I’m so excited, I had to share! Yesterday I received an image of the cover of my first mass market novel, Bound To Please. Here it is! What do you think?

Behind the mask, beyond the foreign clothing, Halloween is that one time of year when people don costumes, paint their faces, maybe even wear a wig and pretend to be something or someone else.

It’s fun to be someone else, even if it’s just for a day. I’m working on a book right now where the heroine dresses up in a sexy nurse costume to give the injured hero a little thrill. She really got into it, she was feeling the costume and pretending to be someone else. Writing that scene made me realize we all do that this time of year. That is, if we wear costumes.

When I was working outside of the home, the office I worked at well we always dressed up. And we themed it, too. One year it was hippies. The next year, scary, monster type costumes (I was a witch, loved that costume). Then there was my one year when I was pregnant with my first child and I wore a nun costume. Shocking!

I don’t dress up anymore but I do have fun helping my children pick out their costumes. And checking out other people’s costumes. I love the creativity, the sheer fun that people have, pretending to be someone/something else. There’s nothing else like it.

Well and all the candy. That certainly helps checking out those costumes with the sugar goggles on.

Tell me - are you dressing up this year? As what? And if not, what are YOU doing on Halloween night?

I usually don’t do this, but today I’m  actually scheduled over at the Aphrodisia authors blog. So if you guys wanna swing by there I’d love the support! I’m talking…lingerie!

http://www.aphrodisiaauthors.com/blog

You can thank Meljean 0for this treasure!

Many agent and editor blogs talk about how you should never quit your day job to write full-time until you have enough cash to last you six months or so. People need regular a paycheck to pay their bills, and besides, your day job provides you with health insurance and so on.

I quit way way before that.

After I received my business degree, I worked as a consultant for four years. Decided that it wasn’t for me. The work was challenging and the pay was nice enough, but every other aspect of the job was unrewarding. It sapped my energy and destroyed my health. There was no way I could continue to work and write anything worth publishing.

So I quit and moved to Japan. I didn’t have a job lined up. My visa allowed me to stay in Japan for three months as a tourist. Fortunately I didn’t have any credit card debt or car payments or college loans, but I had a mortgage in America. My parents thought I was mad. My friends were stunned.

The only people who saw it coming were me, my best friend and my boyfriend. After two months of doing absolutely nothing (to detox), I started writing. I’d completed a four hundred page novel before, so I wasn’t worried about finishing a project. I was more interested in seeing if I could develop an idea into a full-blown story, then write it out.

My first romance novel was okay, but not special enough. Basically I hadn’t learned how to distinguish a good idea from a bad one yet. Besides so many well-meaning people kept telling me to follow “the rules”, but soon I realized that they were destroying whatever excitement I felt about my ideas. The situation had to change since I hadn’t quit my corporate job to be a starving artist. (Alas, I really enjoy eating…!)

So for my second novel, I decided to write whatever I wanted. Can’t write about musicians? Great. My hero was going to be a cellist. Can’t write about writers? Even better. My heroine was going to be an unsuccessful writer. Can’t set a novel in places that don’t speak English? Excellent. A Caribbean island where most people speak Spanish. Can’t have mean dogs? Fantastic. The hero can have a couple of Dobermans who are suspicious of the heroine. I think the only rule that I followed was making the hero alpha.

I had a blast writing the story. And when Samhain offered to publish it, I let out a loud w00t!

I hope you enjoy reading Devil Falls as much as I did writing it. It’s coming out on October 28th.

Blurb

Damien Kirk was once a world-renowned cellist, celebrated across five continents for his musical gift. Now he lives in self-imposed isolation on a small Caribbean island.

Biography writer Victoria Benedict is looking for a story and she is not the type to take no for an answer. Her appearance on his doorstep shatters his reclusive existence.

Determined to be rid of her, Damien demands a quid pro quo: a kiss for each answer to her interview questions. Her response is as arousing as it is unexpected. As Damien and Victoria escalate their sensual game of cat and mouse, Victoria discovers the passionate soul underneath Damien’s cold exterior…and a shocking story of secrets and betrayal.

Warning: This title contains the following: sex, scorching kisses, killer breakfasts, a hot tropical island and a happily ever after.

If you want to learn more about the story, feel free to stop by my website for excerpts and behind-the-scene extras and contests.

Also don’t forget to comment on this post by October 27 for your chance to win a free copy of Devil Falls. I’ll drop by periodically to answer any questions as well.

XOXO,

Angelle
www.angelletrieste.com

Whenever I read a romance novel, the heroine is always very turned on by the hero’s “unique, spicy scent.” What is that anyway? Does that mean his B.O.? If so, why does she like it? Or is supposed to be that pheromone thing that makes us attracted to a potential mate?

In the book I just wrote, my heroine had a fetish for leather. She loved the way it smelled, how it felt against her skin, and she just melted every time she smelled it. Of course, in walks my hero, with his black leather boots, black belt, leather wrist cuffs (aka bracelets) and leather jacket. So, despite the fact that he is The Absolute Worst Man For Her, she can’t help but get all aflutter when she meets him.

But I was wondering if any scent had ever turned me on and I couldn’t come up with answer. So, I guess that would be no. I can’t stand men’s cologne, and the way a man smells after a garlicky meal grosses me out. So, when a heroine refers to a hero’s “own unique scent” what is she talking about anyway? Or is my nose just faulty.

And here’s another question: what smells turn you on?