Carolyn Hart's Ghost Gone Wild

 

Bestselling author Carolyn Hart's fourth ghost mystery was released last month featuring Bailey Ruth, a readheaded ghost who returns to earth to solve mysteries. 

Carolyn, what prompted you to write the series?

 

I grew up loving Topper and Blithe Spirit. I always wanted to write a book with a happy fun ghost.

I had an idea about a young woman, rather prim, who was in the attic not long before her wedding. She finds an old trunk and while exploring it, discovers that she was a twin but her twin died at birth. This realization brings back her twin, who is feisty, unconventional, and a bit on the wild side.
But then I realized I needed to think about ghosts. Who are they and how could this ghost appear? I pondered the fact that a ghost is the spirit of someone who has died and gone to Heavan. That led to thinking about Heaven and before I knew it, I'd popped in my mind to Heaven and around a cumulous cloud came a freewheeling redheaded ghost and her name was Bailey Ruith Raeburn and she wasn't anyboy's twin and here was her story . . .

That was Ghost at Work. Now Bailey Ruth appears in her fourth adventure and she's still having fun.
 Thank you, Carolyn. Here's what
Thank you, Carolyn. Publisher's Weekly has this to say about Ghost Gone Wild:

Carolyn Hart’s “irresistible cozy sleuth” is back—good-hearted ghost Bailey Ruth Raeburn just can’t say no to an earthly rescue, even when maybe she should.

Bailey Ruth loves to return to earth as an emissary from Heaven’s Department of Good Intentions. Problem is, she’s a bit of a loose cannon as far as ghosts go—forgetting to remain invisible, alarming earthly creatures—so she’s far from the top of department head Wiggins’s go-to list for assignments.

That’s why she’s surprised when the Heaven-sent Rescue Express drops her off at a frame house on the outskirts of her old hometown, Adelaide, Oklahoma, where a young man is playing the drums. What kind of rescuing does he need—drum lessons? But when a window cracks and a rifle barrel is thrust inside, only Bailey Ruth’s hasty intervention saves Nick Magruder from taking a bullet. When she materializes to reassure him, she finds she can’t go back to vanishing. What gives?

It turns out she’s been tricked by Nick’s late aunt—Delilah Delahunt Duvall—to come to the young man’s rescue, which means she isn’t back on earth in service of the department. Wiggins has no idea where she is—and now she may be trapped in Adelaide forever. Unless she can help Aunt Dee snare the person who wants her nephew dead.

Nick's doting Aunt Dee engineered this mission on the sly, Bailey Ruth must operate on earth without her otherworldly powers. When Nick is accused of a murder, she must rely on her wits alone to clear him. Though not fully developed, the secondary characters have some amusing quirks, and even the villain, who's not readily identifiable, has a certain charm. The well-constructed plot offers an ample supply of red herrings. Fans of benign ghosts such as those in Blithe Spirit and Topper will find a lot to like.  

~Jean Henry Mead

Halloween Fun: MAKE ME HOWL

by Jackie King

Today I have an early Halloween treat for you! Susan Shay, one of my favorite people and also a darned good writer, discusses her latest book, a Fantasy titled MAKE ME HOWL. She starts with an example of how her main character, Jazzy, takes over her computer and her life.

Susan Shay

~~~~~~

 

 

Jazzy Takes Control:

Hi!

My name is Jazzy Cannis. I'm a successful wardrobe designer and personal shopper. Lucky me! I was born with a killer sense of style, biting sense of humor and an active Lycan gene. A very active Lycan gene.

I had life all figured out. I just had to stay in control all the time. I couldn't get too angry, too wild or too excited while making love or I'd wolf out. No prob.

Enter Chase Holliday, serious hunk. Mr. Always-In-Total-Control is an animal geneticist who's out to eradicate every werewolf on the planet. He thinks safety lies in making werewolves only the stuff of fairytales. To reach that goal, he works every spare moment isolating the Lycan gene.

Then he met me. The man in the iron will thought he could handle this wild woman. Snort!

I just made one little mistake—I forgot about the Blood Moon and, being in heat, I lost control and made love with Chase. That's when I learned that all wolves, even Lycans, mate for life.

Eternity with an emotionally crippled, uber restrained cold duck who barely registers a response when we make love? I don't think so. Even if it kills me, I'll find a way out. Or I'll Make him Howl.

~~~~~

Susan Regains Gains Control:

Susan here. Well, Jazzy got my laptop again. Sorry about that. J Not really. Jazzy's fun to hang with, so I don't really mind.

I don't know if non-writers hear voices in their heads, but writers definitely do. (My critique partners laugh because mine are so real to me.) While some of my inside-my-head characters are great to talk to when I need sleep, Jazzy isn't one.

Why? Well, she's always got some snarky remark, which keeps me on my toes. (Not a great position for sleep.) In order to gain a thimbleful of control, I wrote her book, MAKE ME HOWL, and I turned her loose.

Big! Mistake! LOL.

Releasing a werewolf on purpose is never a good thing. But it's—uh—interesting.

People ask where I got the idea for MAKE ME HOWL. The truth is, Marilyn Pappano. She send me a chapter of a light paranormal trilogy she considered writing and I loved it. It was fun and funny. Just the kind of thing I wanted to write. But I wanted mine to be different.

I started brainstorming story ideas. What iconic paranormal characters could I take over and give a twist to come up with a fun and funny story?

And so, Jazzy was born. Once she came into being, she took off. Below is an excerpt where Jazzy talks to her twin sister, Bella:

~~~~~

I took a moment to settle myself, to find my center. Arranging my hair so I was well covered, I got to my knees, then sat on my heels. “You know, last night, when you and Doc abandoned me, Norman became a huge pest. He kept at me, wanting me to dance with him.”

Bella’s “Um” irritated me. Annoyance tingled my exposed skin, running along my collarbone and down the insides of my arms.

 “He wouldn’t leave me alone. It was so gross.” I straightened as angry lightning strikes marched down my back.

 “Then he insisted I finish my drink because he wanted to buy me another. Bella, I thought I was going to have to decapitate him to get him to leave me alone. I decided to just take off and let you find another way home. But after I finished my drink—and I only had the one Doc bought me—I don’t remember anything. It’s as if I got lost in the night.”

I gathered my fury like a fiery orb in my chest. “You know I never have a memory lapse except during a blood moon phase or if I lose control. I wasn’t that angry.” A simple full moon hadn’t done that to me since I was three years old.

“That son of a cur must have slipped me a roofie. Why else would I have been out of control?” I allowed my rage to explode as I thought about the man putting a date rape drug in my drink.

My body stung as the bristles burst through my skin, but I exalted in the sensation as my face narrowed, then lengthened. I loved the feeling of my body shifting from human to wolf shape. There’s never anything better than the power surge as it filled my muscles.

It’s exhilarating.

~~~~~

Thanks to all of you readers and to Jackie King for having Jazzy and me here on your blog. I love it here in mystery world! It's a cozy, wonderful place to hang out.
I'm giving away a FREE BOOK! To get your name in the drawing all you have to do is leave a comment here or on my MAKE ME HOWL Facebook Page. Links below.

 

Make Me Howl is for sale for only $2.99 now on Kindle!

 

~~~~~

On November 15^th, 2013, MAKE ME HOWL will be on sale in other formats (including real books!) I don't know the price, but it will be available on Amazon and at Wild Rose Press.

~~~~~

I'd love to meet you! You can find me occasionally on Twitter--@shaywriter

And more often on Facebook— http://facebook.com/susanspessshay

As well as the Make Me Howl Facebook page— http://facebook.com/makemehowl

Or come by my website and say hi. http://susanshay.net

~~~~~

Special Note:

Thanks so much to Susan and her delightful character, Jazzy. And to all my readers, HAPPY HALLOWEEN

 

I know it's a week early, but if you love a holiday, then you need to celebrate!

Hugs to all,

 

Jackie

 

A Scientific Interlude

by Bill Kirton

Away from the usual self-advertising and PR plugs for a change. Two items I read a while back – one on a website, the other in The Observer – set up some scientific musings. Science to me usually means fascinating things which I don’t understand, but it often leads to trains of thought I wouldn’t otherwise have.

The first item was about chromosomes. I know, of course, that they’re made of DNA and proteins and carry our genes. When I checked Wikipedia, there was stuff about regulatory elements, nucleotide sequences, eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells as well, but (as they keep saying in the film Airplane), that’s not important right now. What is important is that we (humans) have 46 of them. But – and this is the interesting bit – it’s also possible that we have 48. And why is that interesting? Well, we all know that chimpanzees also have 48, but – and this time it really is the interesting bit – so do potatoes.

In the evolutionary ladder, therefore, we are on a par with potatoes. (The temptation at this point is to digress into the class structure implicit in varieties such as King Edward, Belle de Fontenay, Duke of York and Saxon. I'll resist it.)

The second piece of science, however, offers hope that such parity will soon change because stem cell researchers in Edinburgh have succeeded in cultivating brain cells. Not by sucking out real brain cells and prodding them, or from the practice of using bits of embryos, which upsets so many people who think only God should do that, but by doing stuff with skin cells. (‘Prodding’ and ‘Doing stuff with’ are scientific terms.) Thus, we can look forward to a future in which our descendants are clothed not in skin but in brains, which will give us a clear edge over our potato cousins who, even if they did manage to follow our evolutionary lead, would still get peeled and thereby lose their ability to think.

To some of you, this may seem a frivolous misuse and indeed misappropriation of important scientific advances, but I take my lead from one of the greats of British comedy, Tommy Cooper, whose use of statistics was exemplary. He once revealed the following:

“Apparently, 1 in 5 people in the world are Chinese. There are five people in my family, so it must be one of them. It’s either my mum or my dad, my older brother Colin, or my younger brother Ho-Cha-Chu. (Pause.) I think it’s Colin.”

Hope for the Future

By Mark W. Danielson

You can find interesting people everywhere.  Airports, trains, walking on crowded streets.  All have unique stories to tell, but we’ll rarely hear them because of our busy lives.  Recently I had the privilege of hearing a heartwarming story from a perfect stranger, and thanks to her, I realized our upcoming generations are not as lost as we have been led to believe.

On a recent ride from the Memphis airport to my hotel, I found myself the lone passenger in the van.  My driver began by saying she normally doesn’t work more than three days a week, but recently they had been calling her in for overtime.  She was fine with that because her husband is going to trucking school and her sixteen year old daughter is very independent.  Pondering a typical sixteen-year-old’s behavior, I casually mentioned how some girls actually benefit from supervision at that age.  Thus began her story about her daughter’s love affair  -- with BOOKS!

 

The more she spoke of her daughter, the more impressed I became.  Imagine a teenager who must be told to put her book down and go to sleep!  Not surprisingly, she is a straight A student who wants to study journalism in New York and then wander the streets of Paris.  When I asked what kind of books she enjoyed, the driver said suspense and mystery.  Since that’s my genre, I couldn’t help mentioning that I wrote.

By my story isn’t important here.  What matters is there are plenty of ambitious, quiet teens who study hard, and these kids will become tomorrow’s leaders.  Forget about the drunken, pregnant and tattooed teens who gain attention in the social media, television and movies.  Hopefully, in time they will turn themselves around and be equally productive.  Thankfully, kids like my driver’s help break the mindless, self-absorbed stereotype and give us hope for the future.  

Coincidentally, the next day I had the same driver.  Shortly after climbing in, I told her about this blog that I was writing about her daughter.  She was so thrilled, I feared she would burst with pride.  At the end of my ride, I wished her daughter well, but honestly her work ethic and eagerness to learn will certainly make her successful. 

For those of us with gray hair, it helps to know there are kids like this one shadowing the background, studying, learning, determined to make something of their lives.  So ignore what you see on TV and embrace our youth.  Thanks to them our future is bright.

Wildlife Photographer in a Wheelchair

By Jean Henry Mead

Judy Peterson is a talented photographer who captures beautiful outdoor scenes, despite the fact that she's confined to a wheelchair.

Judy, when did you develop an interest in photography?

My parents gave me my first camera when I was 10 years old. I'll never forget. It was a Kodak Instamatic and had a green button on it. The flash bulbs clicked on top of the camera. What fun I had with this camera! The fun hasn't stopped!

 

 

 

 

Why do you prefer to photograph birds and outdoor scenes?  

 

My first love is taking photos of those precious to me. Always will be. I have been the family historian ever since I can remember. Taking photos of the family and friends has been my first passion. Looking back at the photos of when our son was born and other important moments, brings a smile to my face. I'm glad I have all of the photos.

 

As far as taking photos of birds and outdoor scenes, it calms me. Each time I go outside, I see something new. We live in a beautiful world. The birds that inhabit our part of the world, sing and add a new dimension. Going out with my camera and enjoying the glorious world we live in has taught me patience. Can you sit or stand and watch a bird or butterfly for minutes on end so that, when it moves, you see how it moves? Does it return to where it was? This is animal behavior. I have learned a lot of animal behavior. It's been a moving experience. A calming experience.

 

How are you able to photograph wildlife when you're confined to a wheelchair?
 

I sit and take photos whenever possible. Sometimes, my husband helps me stand and move. If I see a bird coming or in a location that is impossible to see in my chair, my husband supports me while I shoot. Being able to take photos has helped me stay relaxed in a body that's filled with physical pain.

 

 

If you were teaching photography to youngsters, what would you tell them are most important aspects of the art form?

 

Photography is what you make it. It's what you see when you look around you. Your camera is a tool. No matter what camera you have, you can take beautiful photos. Knowing your camera is all it takes. All cameras have limitations. Work within those limitations to take photos.

 

How do people get in touch with you to order your prints? Do you have a website?
 

 I do not have a website. If you would like to order prints or blank note cards made with my prints, simply email me (judithsparkles@gmail.com).

 

 

 

 

Personal Research of the Wrong Kind

By Chester Campbell

Some of my colleagues have been discussing the problems of aging lately, so I might as well join the club. Actually, my situation is not so much age related except as it applies to the slowness of recovery. When my wife and I booked a week at a resort on Tampa Bay for the end of September, I looked forward to some relaxing days with a bit of writing when the spirit moved me. We planned to drive halfway from Nashville the first day, then finish up on the day of check-in.

Travel to Dothan, Alabama proved uneventful, except for a Cracker Barrel stop. We had some free nights thanks to my Choice Hotels credit card and checked into our suite at a Clarion Inn. It was handicapped equipped, which meant a large shower as an extension of the tile bathroom floor. We went out for dinner, watched the evening news and went to bed. I awoke early in the morning, feeling a tad queasy. I went to the bathroom and stood in front of the toilet.

My next recollection is looking up from a bed in the Emergency Room at some medical type who was asking my birth date and where I lived. My wife had heard me fall and found me on the tile floor, my scalp split open in back. She thinks I hit the edge of the shower drain. She called 911 and the rest is history. I wound up with seven staples closing an upside-down Y-shaped cut. Because of the concussion, they did a brain scan but found nothing out of order. So I have no excuse for being like I am.

My step-daughter came down and drove us back home. I sat around the first couple of days, then got on the computer and set up my next free ebook promotion on BookBub. By the first of the following week, my doctor tried to extract my staples but ran into a problem. I won't go into the gory details, but I now know a bit about how the early settlers felt when the Indians started scalping them. If I ever decide to write a Western, maybe it'll come in handy.

I also learned from the experience what the after affects are of a solid blow to the back of the head. Take it from me, your protagonist won't jump up and start doing battle. Were I considerably younger, I likely would have bounced back quicker. I was lucky I didn't have a bad headache, but my head felt a bit strange for a few days and I felt rather rocky at first.

Last week I started back on my daily walk at the mall and increased it to two miles by Saturday. This week I'm back to about two miles in thirty minutes. I've also returned to work on my sixth Greg McKenzie mystery. I got the opening idea from a news story that took place near my home. A senior citizen type in a power chair was hit and killed while driving on the street at night. In my story, it was a hit-and-run.

Incidentally, I've decided it isn't the best idea to indulge in head wound research as a do-it-yourself project.

When You're in Pain

By June Shaw
I had planned to write a nice long blog today about writing. Because I wound up in major pain, I won’t write much. The creative well has dried.

I sat at my desk two days ago and reached over on the floor for a piece of paper holding into I wanted to use. That’s when it happened. The pull. The ache starting from my back and running down through my thigh and shin to my foot. Sciatica.

I’d pulled my sciatic nerve once when I was pregnant, and the doctor told me to lie on my opposite side for half an hour to get the baby’s weight off the nerve. That worked well.

No, though, I have no baby to shift away and need to improve a bulging disk. It hurts. All the way down my leg. The doctor told me not to sit anymore while it gets better. Right.

So I’m sitting in front of my computer (gave my laptop away years ago—didn’t like it) to write something here, and my leg has started to ache again. I need to lie down with a heating pad.

I’ll catch you later with lots of brilliant words : )