PARANORMAL BLOG TOUR - SHADOWS OF THE PAST - by Carmen Stefanescu

Shadows of the Past -  Carmen Stefanescu
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: paranormal/light romance/light historical/light horror.

Blurb 

Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling.

But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest.

This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?

A touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss and the power of endless love and good magic.

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.


 Buy Links:
Wild Child Publishing
Amazon
All Romance
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

Excerpt 

The peal of the church bells from the abbey tower startled Genevieve. The sound added to her mounting anxiety.

The massive abbey loomed over the stone paved path.  All the nuns were at evening mass.  With a bit of luck her disappearance would go unnoticed for a few more hours. The Abbess would assume she was cleaning the toilets as ordered.

Fear skittered through Genevieve when she turned away from the abbey towards the path leading to town. Nothing stirred.  She hesitated.  Evil emanated from the forest surrounding the abbey. With a shiver, she leaned against the solid oak gates that flanked the abbey's main path. They had hidden her from detection for the past couple of hours, but how much longer would she be safe?

The mountain shadows grew thicker and closer.

She moved her weight from one leg to the other. They ached from so much standing, but she lacked the strength to return to the gardener's cottage and wait for Andrew's arrival as planned. Genevieve closed her tired eyes. The image of old Ryan, slumped dead in his chair in his cubicle, caught life in her mind and made her whole body ripple with fear.

She'd rather wait for Andrew here, outside.

Had he forgotten his promise? What if something terrible befell him during the last three days, or he had changed his mind? Why should he risk all for an ordinary nun?

Had his folks talked him into giving her up, made him see reason? Helping her out of her predicament meant a huge risk for him -- losing his family, his friends and his position among his peers. His words echoed in her mind. "I will risk everything for you, even life, if necessary."

                                                          * * * *

"Anne, Anne, wake up. Wake up, please," the insistent voice whispered next to her ear.  The touch of a hand, on her shoulder, startled Anne.

She opened her eyes, still half between sleep and reality. Her gaze stopped on a stranger, a woman, by her side.

The moon's pale face, the only light, filtered through a small gap in the tent's entrance; yet the stranger's whole body emanated a kind of soft ray, a yellowish halo making her figure and face easy to discern.

A long, dark robe, similar to those worn by nuns in monasteries centuries ago, covered her body. No traditional headdress covered the woman's red hair, which fell loosely over her shoulders in long, heavy tendrils and continued down her chest and back.

Anne stood up and studied the intruder with open curiosity. The stranger’s wax pale face looked corpse like. Anne opened her mouth to ask her who she was. She looked Anne straight in the eyes, placed her forefinger on her lips and whispered, "Hush, come. Follow me."

Anne's eyes widened.

The woman, moving away from the sleeping bag, appeared to glide above the ground. Her bare feet didn't make a sound.

As if hypnotized, Anne followed the illuminated silhouette heading into the forest, without questioning her own actions.

An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her. The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.

                                                            * * * *

You can find more about the author and her works here: http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/

AND HOP OVER TO THESE OTHER PARANORMAL POSTS:

Daisy Banks – https://daisybanks.wordpress.com/
Carmen Stefanescu – http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/
Linda Lamont – http://lindalyndi.com/
Cassandra Ulrich – http://cassandraulrich.blogspot.com/
Margo Bond Collins – http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Adrienne Woods – https://woodsadrienne.wordpress.com/
Flossie Benton Rogers – http://flossiebentonrogers.com/blog/
Julie A. D’Arcy – http://juliedarcystoryweaver.blogspot.com.au/
M S Kaye – http://booksbymsk.com/

Penny Estelle – www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

How to make a HAUNTED HALLOWEEN

It's super simple to decorate for Halloween without being too ghoulishly scary but still keeping to the season theme. I start with different sized gourds and then I pull out the paint, glitter, glow-in-the-dark paint and googly eyes ;D

Then I line up the little ghosts, goblins and ghouls on the porch.

I also use fall leaves and banners to wish neighbors a Happy Halloween.

And, in the end, it's cuter than scary but it's still super bootiful ;D

And if you want to see some of my other decorations from years past, check out this link.

Lyndi Lamont for Paranormal Romance Thursday

Ilona’s Wolf by Lyndi Lamont Genre: steamy paranormal romance

Blurb: Imagine a world filled with magic, a tormented knight, a damsel in distress, an evil sorcerer...

While picking herbs in the woods, Princess Ilona is rescued from a woodsman by a wolf. When the creature licks her wounds, it is suddenly transformed into a man. A very handsome, very naked man who makes passionate love to her in a glade. Cursed by an evil wizard, Rolf was trapped in wolf form until he tasted the blood of a royal. Now he must escort the princess on a hazardous journey back to the castle to stop an ill-fated wedding. Passion flares between them, but both know there is no future for Ilona and her werewolf. Or is there?

In a world where magic and passion combine, anything may be possible.

Buy Links: Amazon 
Barnes & Noble;
iBooks 
Smashwords 

Excerpt: The wolf looked at her, golden eyes gleaming, mouth open, showing off large, sharp teeth. She closed her eyes and gripped her throat with both hands. Quaking with terror, she listened as the animal padded toward her. She felt its hot breath on her cheek. Opening her eyes a slit, she stared into the face of the wolf. Sad eyes stared at her, and her fears receded. Perhaps he'd been tamed. She reached out with what was left of her powers, but sensed no immediate danger. "Good wolf," she stammered. She held out one shaking fist, and the wolf sniffed it before licking her knuckles. It moved closer, sniffing her clothing. To her surprise, the animal hunkered down beside her and laid its head on her leg. Carefully, she touched it, stroking the soft fur. Relief flooded through her. Saved by a wolf, of all creatures. "Thank the gods you showed up when you did. I'd no wish to be ravished by the likes of him."

The wolf lifted its head and seemed to smile up at her, mouth open, tongue lolling. She smiled at the canine as she continued to pet it. "Grateful I am for you rescuing me, but 'tis not exactly what a girl dreams of. Where's my knight on a white steed? 'Tis he who is supposed to do the rescuing." When the wolf lowered his head, sniffing between her legs, she laughed and pushed it away. "Rude creature."

The animal responded by sitting up and resting its head on her breast. She put both arms around it and hugged it close, dropping a kiss on its head. "Do not misunderstand, Sir Wolf, but I still wish you were a knight. A strong, handsome knight like my Werner." The familiar sadness filled her at the memory of her husband. "I miss him so much, you know. Dagmar says another knight will come for me, a handsome knight to protect us and make sweet, passionate love to me." The wolf whined and raised his head to lick her cheek. Laughing, she tried to push him away, but he licked her full on the mouth. She closed her eyes, stunned when her powers came rushing back, like a flood of magic coursing around her. Turning aside, she summoned her basket to her side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the wolf jump up, staring at the basket. Her vision seemed to blur as the wolf's face slowly became humanlike, then shifted back. She must have hit her head harder than she'd thought if she was seeing things. She closed her eyes and shook her head, but the aching had receded. When she peeked again, the wolf was gone, and a naked man crouched in front of her. A handsome, well-built man with shaggy brown hair and golden brown eyes.

You can find more about the author and her works here: http://lindalyndi.com See more posts here

HALLOWEEN BLOG HOP

It's a Halloween party and I'm hoping you'll all join in . . . share a scary story, a picture, costume, decoration and of course your link to your own post, which will undoubtedly be about your book but of course I'm hoping you'll also share something fun to help us all get ready for this festival . . .

Cover Reveal for Colleen Myers - Must Remember - Coming November 2nd

Colleen Myers visits to reveal her latest and greatest book yet! This is something you Must Remember . . .

Short Bio:

Colleen plays many roles. Not only is she a veteran, a mother, and a practicing physician, but she is a writer of science fiction and contemporary romances. Colleen’s dreams include surviving her son’s teenage years, exploring every continent on this planet, except Antartica, cause that’s way too cold, and winning the Nobel peace prize. Dream BIG! Currently she is getting ready to publish her first novel, MUST REMEMBER in November of this year (cover reveal soon.)  Until then look for her at Three Rivers Romance Writers, at Facebook  Colleen Myers, and at @ColleenSMyers.

Book Blurb:

Nineteen-year-old Elizabeth ‘Beta’ Camden is a survivor.

When the E’mani—those pale alien freaks—destroy Earth with a plague of madness and scoop up the remains, Beta is one of the ‘lucky’ ones. For years, she endures their tortures, experiments and games. Then one day, she manages to escape their ship with her life, and no memory of her time with them.

Stranded on their world, Beta wanders the mountains, looking for a way home. She stumbles onto the Fost—the E’mani’s ancient enemy.  Their war with the E’mani is old and rooted in magic that the Fost once had and the E’mani crave. Magic Beta soon discovers she’s developing along with strange tattoos and disturbing glimpses of her past. The Fost take her in and train her in their ways. As she spends more time with them, she falls in love with their culture and with Marin—he of the hot hands and slit eyes.

But the E’mani took her for a reason and they want her back—dead or alive. If Beta doesn’t remember that reason soon, they’re all going to die.

Excerpt:

Oy. No more weekday frat parties for me, no matter how
noble the cause, especially when I have a test the next day. What was
I thinking? And last minute cramming with a headache was not a
good idea either. Forget it. My eyes drifted to the clock.

And now I was late. Damn it. With a sigh, I threw down my
pencil and scrambled up, my head throbbing. I traded my Eeyore
jammies for skinny jeans and a fitted white t-shirt. Shoes, where
were my shoes? Gah. I ducked and rooted around in the deep, dark
spaces under my bed. Hmm, the green dress I borrowed from Sarah.
Mental note: I need to return that. English book, various dust
bunnies of uncertain lineage…there.

Sketchers on, I grabbed my backpack, turned up my iPod,
and ran out the door. No time to primp.

Good thing the campus I lived on was small. There was a big
central courtyard—the quad—filled with towering oak trees and
wide-open spaces surrounded by squat school buildings and
classrooms. If I hurried, I’d make it…

I raced into the quad out of breath and slowed, turning in a
complete circle.

Huh.

No one around. Unease skittered through me on soft paws.
The courtyard was always busy. I pulled my headphones out of my
ears. Was there some sort of event I didn’t know about going on?
The unnatural silence pressed in on me for a second as the
echoes of my steps faded.

Then screams—men’s and women’s—poured from Main
Street. I broke into a run and shot between the buildings toward the
sound.

Cars littered the intersection. Some guy rear-ended someone
else, causing a chain reaction down the road. A horn blared nearby
and a faint breeze blew the smell of gasoline, smoke, and copper my
way. Clusters of people stood among the wreckage.

 www.csmyersmusings.com

 

Now, if you can't wait any longer to see it....here it is:

 

And, if that wasn't enough, here's a little more...

 

GREEK FEST in Portland Oregon

If you're having a craving for some wonderful Greek food or just feel like hanging out at a festival, you should be on 33th and Glisan today until 10:00 p.m. and tomorrow until 8:00 p.m.

There will be events for the entire family and food galore, including face-painting for kids, dancing, music, cooking demonstrations, crafts and more...Plus you might even win a trip to Greece.

This is the 64th Annual Greek Festival in Portland, Oregon.

PARANORMAL BLOG TOUR - Starts off with a Sorceress - THE VIKING PRINCESS

THREE reasons to read a Viking Romance:

 1) Ragnar; 2) Lagertha; and, 3) Rollo

But seriously, during the dark ages, the Vikings were more than merely heathen marauders. In truth, they were brave explorers. Men and women who took the original Captain’s Oath, vowing to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man (or woman) had gone before. They were not the pillagers that the British portrayed them to be but people searching for new lands and new civilizations and along the way, they faced gripping family sagas that questioned more than their strength, agility and patience. These journeys brought into question alliances and loyal friendships, while testing their faith. And, there was nothing more important than family relationships. If a Viking couldn’t count on his family to help him survive, he perished. But it wasn’t only the men, these warriors were women as well as men, who stood side by side on the battlefield. Perhaps that is the reason and the truth behind the tales of the Valkyrie and Valhalla, which still haunt the stories of the Vikings.

 The VIKING PRINCESS is one such tale of the extraordinary lives and epic adventures of two people: Holger Danske and Morgaine LeFey. And Holger Danske was not the first Danish Prince to appear on the printed page or to share a well-known castle as his home. Hamlet’s story is set in the same structure that stands on the sound between Denmark and Sweden. Holger’s home is in Kronborg Castle, known to most English speaking people as Hamlet’s Castle. It was there, inside this Castle that I first was introduced to Holger Danske and the legends surrounding his iconic life. He was a warrior, a Prince destined to become King of all the Norse lands during the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table. I found it odd that everyone had heard of King Arthur and his magical sword, Excalibur, which he received from the Lade of the Lake (a Norse Goddess) who had also given such a sword to Holger Danske. Holger’s sword was named “Cortana”, and was made from the same metal and magic as Excalibur. Yet no one I talked to outside of Denmark had ever heard of Holger or his sword. And, even more interesting was the fact that Holger and the Vikings invaded England, yet somehow, even as enemies, Holger and King Arthur’s half-sister, Morgaine LeFey, were able to share a forbidden love. Theirs was a romance that threatened two kingdoms.

 THE VIKING PRINCESS has never been told outside of Denmark...until now. Morgaine and Holger faced an attraction more powerful than any sword, stronger than any warrior and more magical than all the powers of Merlin.

 A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME: I'm a romance writer who grew up in a family with 9 kids and only 1 t.v. so I spent my days reading and, later, writing. I love books. . .maybe because I never got to pick t.v. shows we watched. But I’d run home after school to catch the last fifteen minutes of Dark Shadows... I still love to run...or at my age, maybe I should say wogging (a cross between walking and jogging). Here in Portland, I love Halloween themed runs - where people don costumes and run. It's a lot of fun...and I know those two words don't always go together: fun...and...run. But it is. And, with all those Halloween themed runs, I guess Dark Shadows had more of an influence than some people might think. Even today my favorite author is Stephen King. My all-time favorite book is Salem's Lot. Favorite romance novels are The Hunger Games...okay, I know, it's a survival book but it's really all about romance. Then there were the series: Twilight, Fifty Shades, and more but I also love paranormal, Horror and even light books like Dewey the Small Town Library Cat... Mainly, I just love to read. . . and write. I've just had my first novel published and am looking to share it with the world. It's a story I was inspired to write after visiting Hamlet's Castle and seeing an enormous Viking statue down in the tunnels next to the dungeons. Sorry to be so long-winded but did I say I love to write? ...and talk and...knit, and sew, and bake... I could go on but I'll close by saying, I hope you’ll stop in on my site and I can tell you I have a ya horror novel coming in July: Demon’s Ink. Thanks for listening.  

EXCERPT OF THE VIKING PRINCESS

He laughed at her, making her senses bristle.

She was not amused. “Am I humorous?”

“I have heard you are many things,” he replied, “but humor has never been cited as one of your virtues.”

 “First you laugh at me, and then you belittle me. Is this the way you treat all women?”

 He pulled back on the reins. His horse slid to an immediate standstill. Then, burying his face into her hair, he whispered in her ear, “I have shown enormous restraint. Would you like me to show you how I treat all women?”

 The burning ember inside her flared to a flame. The muscles low in her belly tightened, as she clenched her legs tighter, wrapping them around his steed. Sucking air into her lungs, she felt the immediate pulse of desire race through the core of her body. She wanted to reach back over her head and wrap her arms around his neck, to pull him even closer. It was all she could do to hold her tongue and keep from begging him, when all she wanted to say was, “Yes, yes, please show me.”

 Her body motionless, she could feel the warmth of him as his hands grew bold, slipping beneath the soft linens covering her, his fingers gently gliding up over her stomach, traveling beneath her breasts and edging up…

A voice whispered inside her head. What are you doing? This man is your enemy. He intends to kill you, your brother, everyone you love… She grabbed his wrists, holding him still and steady. “You have caught me, kidnapped me, and dragged me here. I may be your prisoner, but do not think that I am interested in your advances.”

 His body tensed and he pulled back his hands, gripping her firmly about the waist. “I, Holger, the prince over all the Norse lands, have never had a woman decline the privilege of being my lover.”

 “Prince or pauper, it matters not to me what rank you hold, for I, too, am highborn and accustomed to many privileges,” she snapped back, unwilling to let him bask in his own conceit. “And being your lover is not a privilege I would prize.”

 “Perhaps,” he said, softening his touch. Slowly he ran his finger down the length of her neck, taunting her. “But are you accustomed to this?” He swung her around to face him; his mouth moved to her neck, gently caressing her throat with his lips and tongue.

 The warrior with the devil’s horns was surprisingly gentle and tender with his affections. Morgaine could not contain her pleasure.

 A small sigh moved up from her throat, over her lips, unexpectedly escaping into the night air.

“This is nothing,” he whispered against her flesh, his hand moving down over her navel. Traveling to the valley between her thighs, he pressed his fingers into her apex and she gasped at his touch. He pulled his hand back. “After your shrill tongue and insults, the next time you will have to beg for my attentions.”

 His tone shocked her back into the present. No man had ever spoken to her in this manner. He had no idea of her power. She was not some peasant he could toy with. Morgaine Le Fey was a princess, the sister of King Arthur. It was her turn to laugh…and it came out of her loud and hard. He must not know of her talents. She was the most powerful sorceress in Camelot and perhaps a dozen other kingdoms. “Me? Beg? To think you will ever witness such an act from me,” she started to say but then shook her head and continued, “You must be more than foolish.”

 “We will see,” he said, sounding more arrogant and insolent than ever. “Yes, we shall see,” she replied, as he gave his horse a nudge and they continued riding.

 If you want to purchase THE VIKING PRINCESS click on AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE Visit me at www.kimbrakasch.com And www.kimkasch.blogspot.com Or see what I’m tweeting and pinning

PARANORMAL BLOG TOUR - Coming Soon

Lemon Curd

I took a cooking class and learning all about curd...which is something my husband says sounds like food that went bad. I tried to explain to him that "curd" doesn't mean it's curdled. Instead it's simply a different example of custard or pudding...sort of.

Here in the United States we usually make puddings or custards, where milk or cream are the base ingredient but for curd the base ingredient is butter.

Yep, butter. So it is much richer in flavor. But, when I told my husband it has a richer flavor. He said, "What does that mean?"

But I wasn't talking about money so, I had to think about it. "Richer" to me is heavier, thicker and probably a whole lot more fattening.

But, what the heck...we were having guests for dinner and I've been intending to try out my new cooking skills with curd for over a few months now. So I pulled out the Meyer Lemons...and, yes, the recipe does call for these very specific lemons. So, of course before I could pull them out, I had to run to the grocery store to get them because, no, I don't keep Meyer Lemons on hand every day...heck I don't even keep them on hand any day, unless I'm pulling out a special recipe to make that calls for them.

Curd is silky smooth and shiny. And is a beautiful, flavorful dessert but should be served as a topping to a scone or banana bread, at least in my opinion. I think it's too rich to be eaten by itself...although, given an opportunity when I'm all alone and it's sitting in the fridge, don't hold me to those words because I might be tempted beyond my own control. Because really packs a powerful flavor punch.

So, if you're still reading and interested, here is how you make curd:

Ingredients: 4 "Meyer" Lemons 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 pound butter 4 large eggs 1/2 cup lemon juice (or 3 to 4 lemons)

Recipe: Peel the lemons to use the skin as zest (read this bit about zesting - because you can't just use big, thick, pithy peels) Add sugar and zest and blend in food processor (if you don't have a food processor- you have to grate the lemon zest very finely) Cream the butter (which means the butter has to be room temperature or softened - but not in a microwave or it will be so hot it will cook the eggs - and that would not be a good thing) Add the butter to the sugar and lemon juice and zest mixture. Add the eggs one at a time until well-blended. Pour the mixture in a sauce pan and cook over low to medium heat until thickened (about ten minutes) STIR CONSTANTLY or you will be sorry. When the curd is thickened, pour into a bowl and put in the refrigerator to cool. Then when dessert is served, you simply put a spoon in the curd and let people heap it high on top of their scone, banana bread or whatever it is you're serving. "Bon Appétit"

Blog Hop - COMING SOON - Just Like Halloween

Okay, so I've signed up for a linky tool and I'm putting together a blog hop that will begin on October 1st. This is to celebrate the coming of Fall, the month of October and Halloween (or for those of you who want to celebrate the Harvest - that too)...but if you want to join in, you need to create a blog post that will be up on October 1st. You need to start out your post with a scary story and then you can end with a little blurb about your book or whatever it is you want to share with readers - as long as the post is only PG rated. So sharpen up your pencils, or limber up those fingers of yours and begin typing... because you'll want to have a post ready to go live on October 1st! And, if you have any questions, post them here and I'll try to get them answered. Until then, Happy Writing!

Halloween Blog Hop

Sign up and join in the fun...

106 Days Until Christmas

I know it's a scary thought...so I'm starting early.

I went to Joann's Fabric to buy some pillow forms - on sale - of course for about $12.00 per pillow.
And while I was there I saw two very pretty, plush, dish clothes for only about $3.00. So, I bought two and took them home to create some gifts.

I folded the dishcloth so that the plush side was on the inside and sewed up the seams, all except for one end then I flipped the "pillow case" right side out and stuffed the pillows inside. And then I used some velcro on that end to close the pillows.

And wah-lah, two plush decorator pillows for $30.00 total. Can't beat that. ;D

If you're reading this on Thursday...it's 105 days

COMIC BOOKS

If you're looking for a hero or a heroine - this is the place to search...Comics Adventure in Gladstone.

You'll find loads of muscles and mayhem hanging out in this little CB store. So get over there and check it out.

455 Portland Avenue

Gladstone, Oregon

(503) 305-7946

 

 

Taking Down. . .

It's that time of year...when we take down the beach umbrella, put away the SPF 50 and roll away the cushions and lawn chairs.  Yep...I hate to admit it too but summer is over. We can still celebrate the last hurrah of the season by pulling out the BBQ and feasting with friends and family.

That's what I'm going to be doing over this holiday weekend and I hope you will too. So until fall finally settles in around my house...yep, that's next week, I want to wish you all a safe and happy holiday.

The Write Direction

SE Portland Write Direction – September 2015

Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/26/2015
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Location
Woodstock Library
6008 SE 49th Ave - Portland, OR 97206

Making Your Way Through Social Media

 

As a writer it's hard to carve out time to write, read and edit, and then take the time to learn all the tips, tricks and hints to social media. The SCBWI and Mary Elizabeth Summer plan to make that all easier. Together they are teaming up to teach writers how to use social media.

 

Come Saturday, September 26, 2015, to a one-hour presentation on Technology for Writers and learn why and how you should be using social media to help you in the publishing world.

 

Contact: Victoria 503 988 5389