PARANORMAL BLOG TOUR - How 'Bout a Ghost Story by M.S. Kaye

Born from Death series - Haunted Blog Tour

Ghost stories—what better inspiration for character names can there be? Follow this tour to find the background for the character names of the Born from Death series.

Kate Raynham nèe Morgan

Kate is a modern woman married to a man who died in 1890. She sheltered her daughter in order to protect her, to save her from the pain she’s lived through her entire life.

The inspiration for the name:

“The Hotel del Coronado is a stunning Victorian beachfront resort hotel in the very southern California city of Coronado, just south of San Diego. It was only four years open when a beautiful young woman named Kate Morgan checked in on November 24th, 1892. She was apparently very ill for the time she spent at the hotel, and it was later speculated she had taken a large dose of quinine in an effort to induce miscarriage of an unwanted child. That she was distraught there was little argument, so when she was found on the outside steps leading to the beach on November 29th, with a single bullet hole in her temple and a gun nearby, the death was quickly ruled a suicide. From that point on, strange phenomena have been reported at the hotel: strange noises, lights flickering on and off, and even the occasional ghostly woman in Victorian garb wandering the halls.” ~www.listverse.com

 

Awaken from Death

Book 2 of the Born from Death series

The only emotion Ilona can muster is anger for the death of her mother. Barely engaged in life, she focuses all of her energy on finding and punishing her mother’s killer.

Since Ilona can see ghosts, Archer has to find unique ways to hide while watching over her. When Ilona is in danger of being mauled by a dog, he desperately tries something that shouldn’t be possible. And yet he succeeds. This is just the beginning of his discovery of who—what—he truly is.

Lettie continues to interact with Ilona, her one friend, even when a Messenger warns her. Eventually, Lettie remembers the ancient connection Archer and Ilona share, as well as her part in the punishment Archer bore as a result of that connection.

Amazon   ~   Barnes&Noble   ~   Publisher (all formats)  ~  Smashwords   ~   Goodreads

Strong as Death

Book 1 in the Born from Death Series

Ilona runs from her sheltering mother in order to find the truth, why she’s seeing people who are invisible to everyone else. A mysterious boy named Archer guides her through Brooklyn and introduces her to Hendrick, the man who claims to be her father—though he died in 1890. Ilona must discover not only what she must do to rid the city of Soll, a sadistic and powerful spirit, but also what it means to be half ghost. She proves what her mother told her—love is stronger than death.

Publisher (all formats)  ~  Amazon  ~  Barnes and Noble  ~   Smashwords

Author Bio:

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Goodreads  ~  Amazon  ~  TSU  ~  Pinterest  ~  LinkedIn

Sneak Peek at Awaken from Death:

The blond boy didn’t walk up to a urinal or into one of the stalls, or even up to the mirror. He stood in the middle of the room.

Invisible, Lettie watched curiously.

Something moved backward away from him. Out of him.

She recognized Archer’s shiny black hair and strong frame even before she could see his face.

She gasped. But ghosts can’t inhabit people.

The blond boy shook his head and looked around. “Fuck.”

“I’m sorry,” Archer murmured so the boy wouldn’t hear.

Lettie stared at both of them.

The blond boy turned, leaned his hands on the counter, and looked at himself in the mirror…not the way people usually looked at themselves. It was more like he was trying to see something more than was in the reflection.

Archer watched him, as if waiting for him to see something.

Then Lettie understood. Archer hadn’t merely inhabited the boy—he’d possessed him. But there were only a couple ways that’d be possible—if he were half ghost, or if he…

A memory struck Lettie like a horse galloping across a battlefield. An ancient memory. Lettie had been around since the beginning of time on Earth, but most of those thousands of years she let slink around the crevices of her mind. It was mostly just walking the bridge with the newly deceased. There were a few memories, though, that burned into her every time she let herself pull them forward. And burned was precisely the right word.

She knew—or rather, remembered—why Archer would never leave Ilona.

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

Lions and Tigers and . . . Elephants

Have you ever seen a gourd at the market and thought...that's an elephant?

Well, I see things and think that's an easy elephant.

All I had to do was paint it and then glue on some wiggly eyes.

And then I took some construction paper and cut out the ears.

And then I glued them...

And then I had to find a pumpkin for the body of my elephant

And then I stuck the head on the body with some bamboo skewers

Maleficent

If you want to make an inexpensive diabolical Disney diva, here's how:

Simple take some pipe insulation - which you can buy at your local home remodeling center

And slit it up the side.

Then slip some wire up inside to form it and use duct tape to attach it to a headband.

 Then you can thicken the "horns" with more pipe-wrapping and wrap it in duct tape.

Then either use a swimming cap or slip a baggie over your hair and cover it in duct tape.

You can touch up the widow's peak by using makeup. You can also highlight your cheekbones to accent them. Then simply add a black cape and some wings.

And wah-lah...Maleficent

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 . . .