Halloween Spooktacular: Day 19: What Scares You?

The Question of the day: What Scares You? Do you have any Phobias? 

 My Answer:  I am afraid of Heights, not sure if its at the phobia stage but it does scare me. I am also afraid of snakes.
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Halloween Spooktacular: Day 18: Review(Haunting Obsession) Guest Post: Halloween Obsession by RJ Sullivan

Please give a warm welcome to RJ Sullivan who is guest posting today, thank you RJ. for stopping by. Oh and I can't forget to Thank Maxine for stopping by as well.

 Halloween Obsession By R.J. Sullivan 

[Sitting before his laptop, R.J. opens a new Word file and stares at the page. The Ghost of Maxine Marie appears behind him, leans close to his ear].

Maxine: Boo!

R.J.: [Jumps] Maxine! Will you stop doing that?

Maxine: [giggles] I can't help it. Your indignant face is so funny.

R.J.: Look, I'm under a lot of pressure here, and you're not helping.

Maxine: What'cha working on?

R.J.: Nothing to do with you.

Maxine: Oh, poo.

R.J.: I'm just kidding. Your pouty face is so funny. I'm supposed to write a blog about Halloween and tie it in to Haunting Obsession.

Maxine: So something scary and tied to Halloween, but related to your ghost story about me haunting an obsessed fan?

R.J.: Exactly. 

Maxine: [thinking, then shakes her head]. You're right. There's no connection to Halloween.

R.J.: I know, right?

Maxine: Hey, didn't you hold the book launch at the Historic Hannah House in Indianapolis during an annual Paranormal Meet n Greet? [link to http://thehannahmansion.org/ )

R.J.: Yes.

Maxine: And haven't you heard from dozens of past employees of the Hannah House about how all sort of weird stuff happened inside?

R.J.: Well, yes.

Maxine: Maybe you can say something about that.

R.J.: Yeah, but, I was only in the front yard. I couldn't take time to do the tour. (And maybe I sorta kinda wasn't brave enough).

Maxine: Oh, bummer. Well, what other interesting places have you been to?

R.J.: Well, the neighborhood I grew up in was new at the time. I lived with Mrs. R.J. in Irvington for awhile, and now my family lives in another neighborhood, a new development when we moved in.

Maxine: Wait a second, though. Irvington, isn't that on the east side if Indy.

R.J.: Yes, that's right, Maxine. I'm impressed.

Maxine: [Holds up a single perfectly manicured index finger] Wait, though. Wasn't Irvington named after a famous author? Washington Irving?

R.J.: Yes, so?

Maxine: So, why am I thinking he wrote something Halloween related?

R.J.: No Maxine. He just wrote Rip Van Winkle.

Maxine: Oh...right. Silly me, I must have lost my head for a minute.

[R.J. and Maxine look at each other, wondering if they're overlooking something.]

Maxine: [sighs]. Okay, so, what else have we got? What do you think of Halloween?

R.J.: Love it.

Maxine: You do? But isn't it kind of just a kid's holiday.

R.J.: Heck no, when I became a teenager, I still dressed up as Dracula every year to hand out candy. Play the scary sounds album out the window, make half the little kids run away before they even got to the door and get the candy from me. And now that I have kids, I still dress as Dracula to take them around.

Maxine: Well, there you go!

R.J.: But that's not enough. What else would I talk about?

Maxine: Well, how should I know? You're the writer; I'm just the ghostly inspiration inside your head to bounce ideas off of. Can't you just add words?

R.J.: Really? "Every time I hissed through my plastic teeth, I could feel the wrapper of the fun- size Hershey bar in my fingers through the cotton fabric of my gloves. The child turned and ran. One more chocolate bar. Mine, mine! Bwa-ha-ha-ha!" Yeesh, who wants to read that dreck?

Maxine: Okay, well, I'd better go and let you work on it.

R.J.: Good idea.

[Maxine vanishes. R.J. looks at the word count, clicks the "save file" icon, and grins.]

R.J.: Thanks Maxine!

 About the Author: 

 R. J. Sullivan's first novel, Haunting Blue, is an edgy paranormal thriller about punk girl loner Fiona "Blue" Shaefer and her boyfriend Chip Farren. Haunting Obsession, a Rebecca Burton Novella, was just released by Seventh Star Press. R.J. is hard at work on the next chapter in Fiona's story, Virtual Blue, coming from Seventh Star Press in 2013, followed by two more novels over the course of 2013 and 2014. R.J. resides with his family in Heartland Crossing, Indiana. He is a member of the Indiana Horror Writers. Check in regularly to learn the latest about the latest projects by R. J. Sullivan.

 Where to find RJ: 

Website Blog Facebook Twitter

File Size: 419 KB 

Print Length: 114 pages 

Simultaneous Device Usage: 

Unlimited Publisher: Seventh Star Press (August 14, 2012) 

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 

Language: English

ASIN: B008Y2SVS4 

Text-to-Speech: Enabled 

X-Ray: Enabled 

Lending: Enabled 

  Amazon 

 Blurb:

 “She wants to be loved by you…alone!” Daryl Beasley collects all things Maxine Marie, whose famous curves and fast lifestyle made her a Hollywood icon for decades after her tragic death. Daryl’s girlfriend, Loretta Stevens, knew about his geeky lifestyle when they started dating, but she loves him, quirks and all. Then one day Daryl chooses to buy a particularly tacky piece of memorabilia instead of Loretta’s birthday present. Daryl ends up in the doghouse, not only with Loretta, but with Maxine Marie herself. The legendary blonde returns from the dead to give Daryl a piece of her mind—and a haunting obsession he’ll never forget!

Review:

When I was asked to review this book, I realized I hadn't read too many ghost stories so I agreed. I have been looking for something to read that is unique and this one surely did have that. All of us have some kind of obsession, Daryl has one with a 50's, 60's starlet(reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe)so much so it has effected his relationship with his girlfriend.

Part of me understands his obsession been there with (said book buying)but if my obsession came to life I think I would run for the nearest exit. The fact Daryl chose to buy a piece memorabilia instead of buying his girlfriend a birthday present shows you to the extent of his obsession.

 I could honestly understand Loretta's anger and at first Maxine's as well. But the twists and turns had me wondering what was going to happen next. It definitely had me turning the pages faster. So if you are looking for an unique read dealing with ghosts of the past and man with an unhealthy obsession and an angry girlfriend this one is for you.

Rating:

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Halloween Spooktacular: Day 17 : Interview and Giveaway with Dana Marie Bell

Please give a warm welcome to Dana Marie Bell. Thank you Dana for this interview with BLH today. 

1. What kind of Halloween person are you? 
Dress up and party every year, give out candy maybe dressed up, or hide inside your house with the porch light off? I give out candy in a witch hat, wearing my husband’s old cape from when we used to go to Renaissance Fairs in costume. It’s warm and cozy, but by the end of the evening I’m usually freezing. Sometimes, I spice it up with a colorful wig.

2. Do you decorate outside for Halloween?
 Not a lot. Some of that has to do with our innate laziness. The rest has to do with the fact that our neighbors put together a “haunted house” for Halloween night only. It’s fun, watching people walk up to their house and wonder how they’re going to get scared this year.

 3. Are you a master pumpkin carver? (pictures for any or all of these questions would be greatly appreciated) 
Oh, heck no. I am so not Martha Stewart. I’d wind up carving something off myself. It wouldn’t be pretty. No one should have to explain that to an emergency room tech.

4. Name 3 costumes you’ve worn and at what age. (Again pictures)

Um. I don’t have any pictures of the costumes I wore as a child. My mom has those. When I was a child, I would wear my dance costumes as my Halloween costume, and sometimes I loved that and sometimes I hated it. And as an adult, I’ve worn mostly witch hats for the last few years.

My typical Halloween costume: I wear costumes at conventions, though, and enjoy the heck out of it.

Here are some of my favorites: 

 Authors After Dark Foxy Lady:

RT Fairy Ball (as a will-o-the-wisp, with PJ Schnyder):

Cowgirl, at Lori Foster’s Reader/Author Get-Together:

5. Find a picture of a costume you love.
I love kitties, so this one caught my eye when I was looking for a costume for Lora Leigh’s RAW:

Unfortunately, it was out of stock, but it was that costume that gave me the idea for what I eventually wore, which was this:

6. Tell us the scariest thing that has ever happened to you and it doesn’t have to be Halloween related. 

Huh. Let me think… Oh, I remember. My husband and I went with my father to see the movie Event Horizon. It scared the crap out of me. In fact, all I have to do is say to Dusty, “What’s the name of that movie I refuse to ever ever see again?” and he replies, “Event Horizon.” When it was over, the movie theater was silent and dark. We were just stunned that the campy sci-fi movie we were expecting was not what we got. It was a terrifying slasher flick that left us shivering. Suddenly a hand reaches out to me, touches my shoulder, and I hear, “Hi!” I screamed like a little girl. Turns out our friend had gone to the same movie, and we were so caught up we didn’t see him sitting right behind us. All these years later we still laugh about that when we see one another. But none of us want to see that movie.

7. Do you like haunted houses or mazes? 
Neither! I’m a big scaredy-cat with a terrible sense of direction. No. Seriously. There’s a reason the inside of my house is basically set up like a circle.

8. Do you believe in ghosts? 
Yup! My mom and I have both seen them, but I haven’t seen one since I was a child. I think children don’t have that filter of “that can’t exist”, so they’re more open to seeing things adults no longer can. But my mother was an adult when she saw the same exact ghost, and it freaked us out that we both saw it.

9. What is your favorite Halloween tradition?
 Watching the neighbors scare the crap out of the kids. Call me evil, but watching them run screaming, and then they come over to my house, giggling and panting and “Whoa, that was scary! I loved it!” is a lot of fun. And the neighbors are careful not to frighten the really little ones, so it’s all in good fun.

10. What is your favorite Halloween movie to watch or are you a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown sort? 
I like doing a marathon, like Ghost Hunters, The Haunted or My Ghost Story. The kids watch it with me now, so it’s a lot more fun.

11. Have you ever tricked instead of treated like toilet papering someone’s house or egging a person or house? 
Nope. As a kid I was a good girl (and lived in a neighborhood where everyone knew my mom and would tattle on me in an instant. Heck, she’d know before I was done throwing the toilet paper). 12. Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees? You want scary? Try Edward Cullen. *shudder*

13. What’s your favorite Urban Legend? 
My favorite urban legend is known as The Boyfriend’s Death. There is the girl, and the boy, and the car has run out of gas. He tells her to wait in the car while he goes for gas, and that for no reason is she to get out of the car, no matter what. Nice guy, right? Stay safe in the car. Well, she waits for him to return. And she waits. And she waits. In some of the legends, she’s huddled under a blanket so no one will see her, again for her safety. Finally, she hears a scratch-scratch-scratch (or in some versions, a tap-tap-tap) that just doesn’t stop. It’s annoying, her boyfriend is late, and dawn is not far off. Depending on the version you read (the first is my favorite), she gets fed up with waiting and gets out of the car, determined to break off the stupid branch is scratch-scratch-scratching at the roof. When she gets out, the first thing she sees is the gas can, sitting alone and still capped next to the car. She slowly turns… And sees her boyfriend hanging upside down from the tree with his throat slit. The scratch-scratch-scratch was his fingernails dragging along the roof of the car. The second version has her coming out from under the blanket when a sheriff calls out to her. He tells her to go to his car and not look back, under any circumstances. But curiosity gets the better of her, and she turns, only to find that her boyfriend’s severed head is stuck to the car’s antenna. The tap-tap-tap was the sound of his blood hitting the hood of the car

Shadow of the Wolf

Heart's Desire Book 1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Length: Novel

 Blurb:

Strike a match, light the candle…and fall into the spell. Christopher Beckett is from an ancient line of wizards, but with one aspect that sets him apart. His wolf. Right now that wolf is howling for a mate. Knowing it’s only a matter of time before the wolf’s needs override everything else in his life, Chris casts the spell all the Becketts have used to call their mates to them. His wish list is short: She must be of a lineage at least as old as his own. And she must accept his wolf. When his mate appears, he realizes his list should have been one item longer. Alannah Evans, a powerful witch of the Evans Coven, has no problem with Chris’s wolf. It's the wizard part that sticks in her magical craw. Witches and wizards have always been at odds, so by rights, she and Chris shouldn’t be striking sparks of attraction this bright. But Chris will not be denied, and gradually she finds herself trusting him—then falling into the fire of desire. When it becomes clear an old enemy has targeted them both for death, Chris charges into a duel that could cost him his life. Or worse: Lana. Warning: This novel contains explicit sex, graphic language, magic, mayhem, and a wet, naked wolf shifter bearing hot chocolate. Mmm… chocolate. a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

Halloween Spooktacular:Day 16: Short Story: The Red Star Past Mars by Patrick Christian

THE RED STAR PAST MARS By Patrick Christian 

 It was dark and cold. Her sweaty brown hair clung to her face and her breathing was labored. Sandra felt her heart pounding and anxiety made her muscles tight. The metal table was foreign and her kidnappers were not of this world. Only yesterday, she was walking her dog in the field behind her house, and the fragrance of lilac filled the air. That’s when they got her... 

Sandra threw a stick into the long flowing weeds. “Go get it!” The puppy took off. Then, the dog immediately ran out of the brush and jumped into her arms. “What’s the matter, Loki?”

Sandra held the terrified puppy. She was dumbfounded. Then, in the weeds, she made out the form of someone lying face down. The thought that she had might’ve just found a dead body scared her. The wind blew through her fine red hair as she approached.

The body was humanoid, with two arms, two legs and a large head with long spiny quills pulled back on it, like a ponytail. Its skin was green and it had three long fingers on each hand. It wore a black skintight suit and a facemask. The creature was sprawled out, as if dead. Sandra didn’t know what to do. She wondered if it needed a doctor.

Looking back now, as she lay strapped to a cold table, Sandra knew she should have run away and never looked back.

The alien was, in fact, dead. Unfortunately, the other aliens were not. Sandra didn’t consider there might be others in the area and she certainly didn’t hear them when they grabbed her from behind and knocked her out.

The next thing Sandra knew, she was in a small metal cell with ten other people. They stared at her as woke up. “Good morning, dear,” said Winnie Mitchell, an old woman in a red flowered dress.

Sandra saw despair on their faces. “Where am I?”

“We’re on their ship. In outer space.”

“What do they want with us?”

“I don’t know, child. They take people from time to time. You are the newest arrival. I assume they let them go … or kill them,” Clara noted sadly.

“They took my grandson a few hours ago,” added Ted Sinclair. “We were walking in the park.”

“We must escape,” Sandra said.

“One kid tried to run, but they shot him with a laser gun. He was just a boy,” Ted added. “Since then, we sit here and wait. I’ve been here two weeks. I’m the longest.”

Sudden footsteps in the hallway caused them to turn in fright towards the door. Sandra watched nervously as a huge green creature, seven feet tall, peered into the cell. His face was like a boar, a long snout and two huge teeth protruding upward. His eyes were black and lifeless. The creature produced a key from his belt and pushed it into the locking mechanism.

The door popped open and the alien lunged. Ted screamed and tried to get away, but the creature subdued him with blows to the head and dragged him out into the unknown.

Sandra noticed the creature dropped the key as he fought with Ted. She snatched it off the floor and unlocked the door. “Come on! We can find a way out! Maybe we’re still on the ground!”

The others stayed huddled in the corner. They refused to move. They hid their faces like a child hides from an abusive father. She wondered what they had seen that scared them so much they would rather stay in this cell.

When the alien returned, Sandra hid between two huge canisters. Again, he stopped in front of the cell. But this time, the creature threw something in and walked away.

Sandra snuck back to the cell and saw the people fighting over a large piece of meat on the floor. The meat slid off of the bone in different directions, each person ripping flesh off of it, like wolves.

As she peered closer, she saw it was a human arm, and she vomited. “This is all they give us!” Winnie called out. The captives lost concentration for a moment, then returned to their feast. Sandra watched the macabre dinner. Even the animals they lock in cages back home hesitate before eating their own.

Suddenly, a hand touched her from behind. Sandra spun around and was surprised by a little boy. She pulled him to her breast and held him tight. She tried to hide the horrific scene in the cell, but she knew that the boy had seen it.

The little boy motioned for Sandra to follow him. She wondered how long he had been hiding on the ship. Dull blue lights lit the hallway and a buzzing sound came from control panels on the walls. The smell was unbearable, like vinegar and rotting flesh. Sandra was about to find out why.

She followed the little boy into a dark circular room that contained a large machine with blinking lights. Tubes extended out of the machine and ended near the floor at the most awful sight.

Propped up in large silver bowls at the bottom of the machine were human beings without arms and legs. Their heads were bent back and tubes in their mouths extended down their necks, making their necks bulge. They were alive and their eyes followed Sandra and the boy across the room. The limbless humans were in different stages of bondage, but most were fat with fleshy rolls bulging over the sides of the silver bowl. Every once in a while, a greenish-brown substance slid down the tube and fed them, whether they liked it or not. They gulped harshly, cringing in 3 pain as alien food filled their stomachs. Sandra gasped in horror. They’re being fattened up.

The limbless people followed her with sad eyes that seemed to beg her to kill them. If she knew how to stop this madness, she would, but it was too late. Survival was her only concern. Without saying a word, the boy pulled her away. Tears fell from the eyes of the wretched humans as they left.

The next room was filled with loud buzzing machines that looked like water heaters. The boy pulled a steel grate that opened to an air duct and Sandra followed. Fifty meters down the shaft, the boy opened a ceiling grate and they fell to the floor.

Sandra looked around at what appeared to be a small dirty storage room. She saw a thick wire attached to a metal band that looked like a dog collar. There was a pile of cloth with a makeshift pillow in the corner. Scattered about the room were pieces of metal and rubber gaskets. Sandra peeked into a food bowl near the bed. She gasped in horror as she saw a finger in a pool of blood. “My God. This looks like a kennel. Are you their pet?”

Suddenly, Sandra heard a noise. She peeked through the door, and her gag reflex almost gave her away. She saw aliens speaking gibberish around a table that held the bloated body of a limbless man. Tears streamed down his face as he begged for mercy. The alien with the laser paid no attention. The man screamed as his flesh was sheared off and eaten in front of him. When he finally died, the aliens stopped eating.

Sandra watched in horror. Sweat dripped off her head and saliva crept from her mouth. She couldn’t take it anymore. Frightened and without courage or reason, she screamed. “Arrrgggghhh!”

Sandra didn't say anything as the aliens dragged her down the hall. The boy just watched and waved good-bye, untouched by the aliens.. The aliens slammed Sandra down onto the metal table,  ripped off her clothes and fastened steel belts around her waist, arms and legs. Then she realized what was about to happen. “No, no, please! Please! Please don't!”

The alien looked Sandra in the eye and smiled as he sawed her arm off. Blood poured from the wound and was cauterized by a small blowtorch. In a matter of minutes, Sandra was limbless and exhausted. The alien carried her to the feeding room. The boy stood to the side, a metal collar around his neck and the wire leading to another alien’s hands.

The alien put Sandra in a silver bowl. Other limbless humans sat in similar bowls all around the machine. She saw Ted. The alien took tubes from the machine and tilted Sandra’s head back enough that her mouth opened. He shoved the tube down her mouth and into her stomach.

It took two months to fatten her up. The next time Sandra saw the boy was when she was on the table, waiting for the aliens to start their feast. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t save us,” she whispered.

The little boy kissed her on the cheek as the alien with the laser approached. He waved goodbye as the alien cut into Sandra’s flesh for the last time.

This story is from the new horror collection Tales of Man, now available on Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook, published by Broken Ocean Entertainment. a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Phantom Shadows Tour: Character Interview by Dianne Duvall, Review and Giveaway

Please give a warm welcome to Dianne, Todd who is interviewing Cliff today. Thank you for stopping by BLH today! 

Thank you so much for letting me visit Book Lovers Hideaway! I’m thrilled to be here, celebrating the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS, the third book in my Immortal Guardians series. 

In case you’re new to my Immortal Guardians, I’ll just take a moment to explain that the vampires and immortals in my series are both infected with a rare symbiotic virus that produces the increased speed, strength, and regenerative properties, as well as the photosensitivity and need for blood, that both possess. Vampires are humans who have been infected with the virus. They suffer brain damage that causes them to rapidly descend into madness. Immortals are gifted ones, men and women born with advanced DNA, who have been infected with the virus. Their advanced DNA protects them from the madness and bestows upon them special abilities that help them as they hunt the maddened vampires who prey upon humans. 

Since few know Bastien (the hero of PHANTOM SHADOWS) better than the vampires who once served him, I thought I would give you a glimpse into his character through an interview with Cliff, a vampire who surrendered to the immortals and now works with Dr. Melanie Lipton (the heroine). Cliff plays an interesting role in PHANTOM SHADOWS and will be interviewed today by Todd, one of the guards at the human network that aids Immortal Guardians: 

 Todd: Thanks for letting me interview you, Cliff. 

 Cliff: No problem. I’m just surprised anyone is interested in hearing what I have to say. Vampires aren’t too popular around here. 

 Todd: Well, after what you did for us recently . . . and what you went through because of it . . . Let’s just say there are quite a few here at the network who are looking at you differently and would like to know more about you. 

Cliff: Cool. 

Todd: So, how did you become a vampire? 

Cliff: I wanted to blow off some steam after finals week– 

Todd: You went to Duke, right? 

Cliff: Right. It was the end of my freshman year. I went to a party with some friends, got drunk off my ass . . . The next thing I knew I was sick as hell with what I thought was the worst hangover ever. 

Todd: But it wasn’t a hangover. You were transforming. 

Cliff: Yeah. 

Todd: Who turned you? 

Cliff: I have no idea. The glands that form above the fangs of vampires and immortals release a chemical like GHB under the pressure of a bite. I couldn’t remember a thing. I don’t even remember leaving the party.

Todd: When did you realize it wasn’t a hangover? 

Cliff: When my skin blistered in sunlight. I’m Black. I’ve never had a sunburn in my life. 

Todd: Didn’t the fangs clue you in first? 

Cliff: I didn’t realize the massive toothache I was experiencing was a result of growing fangs. It took a while for them to come in fully. 

Todd: What did you do? 

Cliff: I hid what I had become as long as possible and put off feeding until I was almost too weak to get out of bed. There was no way to hide the fact that I couldn’t go to class anymore so . . . I had to get out of there. 

Todd: How did you find Bastien? 

Cliff: *smiles* Bastien found me. He came upon me while I was hunting. From the very beginning, I knew he was a stand-up guy. 

Todd: *skeptical* Bastien? 

Cliff: Yes.

Todd: Even after you found out he was raising an army of vampires to defeat the Immortal Guardians? 

Cliff: Dude, the Immortal Guardians were my enemy. They wanted to kill me, no questions asked. I learned very quickly to hide from them. So Bastien’s plan to eradicate them made joining him and his army all the more appealing. 

Todd: And how WAS living with his army? 

Cliff: Better than being on my own, that’s for sure. Whatever else you might think, Bastien was trying to help us. Every single one of us was sane when he recruited us and he did everything he could to keep us that way.  

Todd: Vampires descend into madness pretty quickly. How did you like having madmen for roommates?

Cliff: Bastien kept that crap in check. Immortal Guardians may not fear him, but vampires sure as hell did. Any vampire who went berserk and harmed another vampire or preyed upon an innocent human was very swiftly and harshly punished, if not annihilated. 

Todd: Bastien killed vampires? 

Cliff: He had little choice. 

Todd: I didn’t know that. 

 Cliff: Few do. All they know or care about is that he killed an Immortal Guardian and intended to kill many more. 

Todd: That’s . . . pretty hard to forget. Or forgive. 

Cliff: *shrugs* Dr. Lipton didn’t have a problem with it. 

Todd: *frowns* Honestly, I don’t know what she sees in him. 

Cliff: What you and the others don’t. Or won’t. 

Todd: Did you know before the rest of us that she was attracted to him? 

Cliff: Of course. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. 

Todd: And the feeling was mutual. 

Cliff: *nods and smiles* It was actually pretty entertaining. Bastien kept COINCIDENTALLY visiting whenever Dr. Lipton was working with us. He tried to appear as though his only interest was in how she was trying to help us, but . . . his eyes gave him away. 

Todd: If you’re going to tell me he gazed at her with a sappy, lovesick expression . . . 

Cliff: *shakes his head* Our eyes glow whenever we experience strong emotion. 

Todd: I don’t– 

Cliff: She turns him on. Big time. His eyes kept flashing bright amber whenever he was around her. Hell, they still do. And he had a hell of a time hiding it. 

Todd: *grimaces* That’s more information than I needed to know. 

Cliff: Look, I get why you and the others are pissed at him. But Bastien isn’t what you all think he is. Do you honestly think Dr. Lipton would love him if he were? 

Todd: Considering how brilliant she is, I would think not, but . . . 

Cliff: If Bastien were the bastard you think him, he would have told everyone about that disastrous night you had with Cynthia last month and had a big laugh over it. 

Todd: *stares* What? 

Cliff: You know, the night you decided to spice things up in the bedroom with a little role playing and . . . Wow. Your face just got really red. You aren’t having a stroke, are you? 

Todd: How do you know about that? 

Cliff: Our hearing is extremely acute and these walls aren’t soundproofed. Bastien and I heard you pour the whole humiliating story out to Derek. 

Todd: BASTIEN knows? 

Cliff: Yes. And, Dude . . . a muskateer? Really? In what reality did you think that would be hot? 

Todd: She reads historical romance novels! I thought she would think it dashing! And I didn’t know the boots would be so squeaky. 

 Cliff: *lips twitch* Or that you would fumble the sword and– 

 Todd: Okay, in my defense, I’m used to wielding guns, not fencing foils. And if the feather and that big-ass hat brim hadn’t blocked my vision– 

 Cliff: *grinning* My point IS that Bastien knows and didn’t tell a soul. He isn’t a bad guy, Todd. Perhaps if you interviewed him, you would see it for yourself. 

Todd: *hesitates* Okay, I’ll think about it.

 

Blurb: 

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it’s not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . . Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can’t remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different – and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question – he can’t put her in danger. But she isn’t asking him . . . 

 Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble

Review: 

When I received an email asking to be a part of this tour, I jumped on it. After reading the first two books and I found out Bastian's book was next, I had to read it. And I have to say this book didn't disappoint. This book was incredible, I read it in one setting. I might ramble on so pardon me if I do , I just loved this book so much.

I have said in my previous reviews that my favorite was Roland then I moved on to Marcus, but now I have to say I love Bastian. I know what you all are thinking (yea right) until the next book, but I don't think so. Bastian captured my heart and I think he is going to stay there. Okay maybe until Seth gets a book.

Melanie and Bastian make a perfect pair, I loved how she defended him with everyone. As well as Richart (whom I hope gets a book as well.) But there are some characters that royally ticked me off, one being Roland as well Chris. The treatment Bastian received from the other immortals and The network (though understandable) angered me. I understand to some extent, Roland's hatred but Chris's baffled me(though it is explained later on in the book) and I almost was to the point where I hated him for it.

This book was everything I had hoped it would be and like I said I believe this one is my favorite so far out of the series. Would I recommend? Hell yes! The author just keeps getting better and better and the series addict in me hopes the Immortal Guardians continue for a very long time.

 Rating: 

Heat Factor: 

About The Author: 

 Dianne Duvall is the award-winning author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. Her debut novel Darkness Dawns has been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance 2011 by RT Book Reviews, for Best Paranormal Romance – Vampire 2011 by The Romance Reviews, for Best Debut Book 2011 – Romance by The Romance Reviews, and for Best Book of the Year 2011 by Long and Short Reviews. Night Reigns, the second book in her Immortal Guardians series, has been declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews and has been nominated for Best Paranormal Romance 2011 by The Romance Reviews. It has been described as “intense, passionate and engrossing” by The Romance Reviews and as “a clever, unique, and brilliantly executed book” by Long and Short Reviews. Phantom Shadows, the third book in the series will be released in October 2012. When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels. Website|Blog|Twitter|Facebook 

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcJ9xnm_i2ZKV7jM8dqAgA?feature=mhee 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4400405.Dianne_Duvall

 Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dianneduvall

Contest

So, what romance villain or black sheep would you like to see redeemed? Let me know when you enter to win a signed copy of your choice of one of the first three Immortal Guardians books + swag. :-) International entries welcome. a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t miss my big kindle contest! I’m giving away THREE Kindles (or Kindle Gift Cards if you already have one) to celebrate the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS. See my website for details. I hope you’ll enjoy Bastien and Melanie’s story! Thank you for joining us! Dianne Duvall

  

Halloween Spooktacular: Day 14: Guest Post with Jody Gehrman : Top Ten Reasons I Heart October

Please give a warm welcome to Jody Gehrman, who is guest posting today on BLH. Thank you Jody for stopping by today! 

 The Top Ten Reasons I Heart October

 October has its own brand of magic: the crisp chill in the air, the quality of light, pumpkins smiling toothy grins from porches. Though I live in Northern California, where the shift from summer to fall doesn't manifest quite so dramatically as it does in many places, the change is still palpable. October is the master engineer behind the exciting and also slightly frightening transition into winter. It's the first month when those sundrenched days of summer are well and truly gone; it's time to turn inward, get creative, bake cookies, write stories, get lost in a spooky tale. 

Here are the top ten reasons October is my favorite time of the year:

1) Rain: Okay, I realize this may not be a huge selling point for most people, but for me a good rainstorm is the coziest time to write and read—my favorite activities!

2) Pumpkins: The pagan act of carving a spooky face into an enormous vegetable is just so grounding, whimsical and decorative.

3) Halloween Costumes: Getting to channel your secret self for a night, putting a face on that isn't yours, rolling yourself in glitter or blood, whichever you fancy—LOVE it!

4) Baking: Along with cozy weather, the urge to bake, to fill the house with delicious smells, becomes overpowering.

5) Fall Colors: From crimson leaves to burnt orange fashions, the rich hues of autumn make me smile.

6) Boots: I admit, I'm a boot-addict. My collection sits untouched and unloved all summer, so the first crisp day I can't wait to pull my old beloved friends from the depths of my closet.

7) Coats: My wardrobe strategy works best in layers—all the better to hide a few extra pounds (see baking, #4). I suspect boots were the gateway drug to my coat addiction, since nothing sets off a great pair of boots like an amazing coat!

8) No Bikini Waxing: I believe this one speaks for itself.

9) Great Time for Spooky Stories: Whether they're shared around a bonfire or devoured on your Kindle, there's no better time than October for stories about things that go bump in the night.

10) The Season of Witches: The reason I wrote Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is because witches have always fascinated me, both in their real life and their fictional forms. October is their time to shine!

About the Author: 

 Jody Gehrman is a pagan at heart. She is a native of Northern California, where real witches thrive, and she has had the pleasure of knowing a few. She is also the author of seven novels and numerous award-winning plays. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is her most recent Young Adult novel. Her other Young Adult novels include Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love, (Penguin's Dial Books). Babe in Boyland has recently been optioned by the Disney Channel and won the International Reading Association's Teen Choice Award. Her adult novels are Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin (Red Dress Ink). Her plays have been produced in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of English at Mendocino College, where she can be found grading papers when she's not experimenting with spells.

 Follow-me Links:

http://www.facebook.com/jody.gehrman

http://www.facebook.com/AudreysGuideToWitchcraft 

https://twitter.com/jodygehrman 

http://www.jodygehrman.com

Links to purchase: 

 Amazon e-book: http://www.amazon.com/Audreys-Guide-Witchcraft-Guides-ebook/dp/B008G7L6TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341249491&sr=8-1&keywords=Audrey%27s+Guide+to+Witchcraft 

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Audreys-Guide-Witchcraft-Volume-1/dp/061565844X 

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is only available at Amazon. 

And the ebook will be FREE from October 14th-16th and Oct. 31st and November 1st 

File Size: 545 KB 

Print Length: 295 pages 

Page Numbers Source ISBN: 061565844X 

Simultaneous Device Usage: 

Unlimited Publisher: Magic Genie Books; 1 edition (June 29, 2012)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Language: English 

ASIN: B008G7L6TS 

Text-to-Speech: Enabled 

X-Ray: Not Enabled 

Lending: Enabled 

 From the award-winning author of Babe in Boyland comes a Young Adult paranormal romance about witchcraft, black magic, and the pleasures of paranormal chocolate...

Falling in love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training. When her mother goes missing and her mysterious "cousin" shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is more than just a novel; it's a book of spells, a collection of easy recipes, a charming coming-of-age tale, an enchanting romance, and an action-packed adventure. As Audrey overcomes her insecurities and learns to protect herself against the wicked black magic of her nemesis, she grows into a heroine we can root for—a witch who knows that true power comes from deep within.
a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Switching From Feedburner to Mail Chimp!

Just wanted to let you know for those who are following me thru Email Subscribers(Feedburner) I am switching over to Mailchimp. So keep on a look out maybe in your spam for BLH's newsletters. 

If you want to sign up its located on the left sidebar underneath, Feedburner's sub- I will be removing it soon. I just want to make sure all that have subscribed have recieved my newsletters before I do. So if you have subscribed please comment here and let me know if you have received  the BLH newsletter.

Mailchimp seems to be fairly easy to use and for those already subscribed through Feedburner you don't have to do anything I have already imported you to Mailchimp.

Thank you and Happy Reading!