Review of Paramourtal

Title: Paramourtal
Author: Various
Publisher: Cliffhanger Books
Genre: Paranormal/Horror/Romance
Length: 205 – Anthology.
Heat: Mixed.
Review requested and book supplied foc by Kevin Hosey


Review: Story One.
A Touch of Sand by Nicole Brugger-Dethmers


Blurb: The Sandman is forbidden to love humans. Then he gazes upon the enchanting face of Angeline and wonders why she stirs his cold heart.

Review: Almost as soon as I started reading this story I heard the lyrics of the song Mister Sandman playing in my head.
Creating a full-bodied story within twenty pages is not easy. And in A Touch of Sand the author creates a charming tale within an indeterminate time period, cast with characters this reader instantly connects with. So why is there a ‘but’ coming?
Because I wanted more!
The opening line “Out of the night sky, above the sleepy English town of Ashborough, a whirlwind appeared.” Is guaranteed to grab the attention of any reader who knows there are few, if any, whirlwinds in England. Thus hooked and bombarded with several questions already you can only read on.
It contains lost love, betrayal, undying love that conquers and a happy ending in two parts.
From Sandman and his gnomes, to Angeline, her precocious sister Margaret and Nicolas each character is fully formed and plays their part impeccably. Emotion packs every page, and Ms Brugger-Dethmers’ fluent writing offers up a medly of scenes each as fascinating as the last.
This delightful story is a brilliant opening shot for the Paramourtal Anthology.
* * *
Review: Story Two
Dark Legacy by Elizabeth Ireland

Blurb:  As a teen, Katherine was saved by a mysterious lake spirit. Now she returns to that lake to face a dark family pact that may end her life.

Review: Occasionally a story pulls at the depth of the reader’s emotions whether it be sorrow and tears, joy and laughter, or the chills of horror and fear of the unknown. In this story I felt the intense and unquestionable love between Katherine and Patrick. And yet the skilful weaving of words at the beginning of the story gives a moment of doubt. A second of questioning about what might come.
Three people monopolize Dark Legacy, Katherine, Patrick, and Katherine’s cousin Julie. In the background Nana and Granddad lay the background story and Julie’s daughter, Rachel portrays the possible future.
In between Ms Ireland tells a tale of spirits, boundless love that lasts beyond the grave, the pull of the lake and what happens when one of them tries to evade destiny.
This is a story that will linger in my mind long after turning the final page.
* * *

Review: Story Three
The Fisherman’s Wife by K. Stoddard Hayes

Blurb: In an Irish fishing village, Sean has the perfect life with his loving wife, Muireen. But then she discovers a very dark secret he’s hidden for years.

Review: Deception, betrayal, forgiveness are the themes of The Fisherman’s Wife. Muireen, a selkie bound to the land by a scheming old man concerned only with his own comforts, discovers his plot, she leaves home and returns to the sea, ignoring her husband’s love for her. The way Ms Stoddard Hayes weaves past, present and myth together so fluently compels the reader to take pity on poor Sean.
So far, The Fisherman’s Wife is the shortest story so far, but like its predecessors is packed with emotion and charm. The author depicts the lifestyle of her characters in few words that add to their impact. Combined with the her seascapes and the call of the sea Ms Stoddard Hayes offers characters who will pull at her readers’ heartstrings and a compelling story that complements its companions in this anthology.

Review: Story Four
The Prince and the Spoon by Kelly Wisdom

Blurb: Walking in the park, Summer is attracted by strange fairy tale creature who seem to know her. And then things really get weird.

Review: The slow and compulsive build of tension--written in 1st person. Sibling rivalry, magic spoons and wishes granted. It’s all in this amusing tale by Kelly Wisdom takes the mystery of swamps and Summer’s love of nature, breaks all the rules and adds in a cast of hundreds, and makes it work.

Faeries, pixies and humming birds, with teeth, all walk through The Prince and the Spoon. And then there is Hunter. Hunter, who saves Summer and wins her heart. But how he does it and what he has to do to prove himself is part of the author’s magic.

I have read and reviewed man anthologies and this one is out there in front. Like the previous stories this has charm plus an effervescence of its own.

Review: Story Five
The Flower of Hell by Noree Cosper

Blurb: When Gabriella a demon hunter, meets the handsome Dimitri, it kindles long forgotten desires. But those desires may get them killed.

Review: Now, I have to ‘fess up. Mention demons as a book subject and I’ll usually choose to ‘pass’. But I am so glad I had the chance to read Ms Cosper’s The Flower of Hell. If I have a small nit with this story, it is set in Paris, but I can’t say I got a flavour of the city at all.
Gabrielle is no prissy heroine. She has scores to pay off, traumas to deal with, baggage to decide whether to continue carrying it through millennia or not, and when Dimitri barges into her well laid plans and creates mayhem she is not best pleased.
Considering his ancestry I am surprised he made such an apparently elemental mistake about Gabby’s potential target.
The author held my attention and carried me through her fantasy, so much so that when the end came I was both startled and disappointed. Coming from a reader, who’d previously avoided stories about demons that’s quite an admission.

Review: Story Six
His Familiar Touch by L.K. Below

Blurb: Unable to shift into natural cougar form, Rikkita seeks the help of Derek, a mystifying man who may have the cure—for a price.

Review: I have come across Ms Below’s writing before and so looked forward to reading her story, and I wasn’t disappointed. From the title I garnered the content of His Familiar Touch but the way she twists the normal expectation is masterly.
It is a sibling’s aim in life to annoy, and Rikkita’s sibling wastes no time, thus triggering long withheld secrets and the key to her future. A key she spurns. And so, with Ms Below’s skilful manipulation her heroine enters a world she has long scorned and has to face reality. But will her pride win over her heart and allow her to walk away from the only man to inspire emotions within her she’s never experienced before?
The author’s scene setting is vivid and immediate. Her characters are flawed, yet strong enough to take that leap of faith not knowing the consequences.
While this story lacks nothing, I came away feeling I wanted more.

Review: Story Seven
Of Fate and Fire by Rebecca Rhielle

Blurb: As a child Eleia last her family to strange marauders. Now she falls in love with a beguiling stranger whose past is even darker than hers.

Review: It had to come. The story that broke the pattern. The story that takes the reader to the pinnacle of emotional perfection and leaves them crying with frustration as the Fates combine to destroy true love. And this is the one that does that, and yet--.
The author takes the dark and paints it blacker by the end of a sweet and sensual tale of love and bonding. There are three characters in this tale and all have a major impact on each other’s future. All have the Knowledge, but not all of them are fully aware of the powers in store for them.
This is tightly and fluently written, and peopled with characters of impact. While it is a love story there is no HEA and I, for one, was left with many unanswered questions. Not something I would normally enjoy, but the sheer skill of Ms Rhielle’s writing ensures I ‘turn the last page’ and forgive her for not answering those questions.

Review: Story Eight
Sympathy From The Devil by M.C. DeMarco

Blurb: While protecting a soul from temptation, angel Ariel faces Forcas, a charming demon. And she soon learns her own soul may be at stake.

Review: I laughed so much through this story it took twice as long to read as expected. It’s all there. The two sides of the coin, the irreverent look at heaven and hell, and everything in between. And yet this is another story that leaves you with unanswered questions. Does that mean it would make for a longer story? Perhaps. We’ve all heard of Guardian angels, but the concept that they all belong to heaven is shot to piece, or perhaps hell, in this encounter.
You could say we meet guardians from both departments in this story, and it is Forcas’ job to lead Ariel astray. Which he does with great aplomb. Thanks to Ms DeMarco, I’ll never quite look on Guardian Angels in the same way ever again!

Review: Story Nine
The Underlying Beat by Evelyn Welle

Blurb: After meeting the reclusive music composer Lee, Megan soon encounters mystifying forces that test both her sanity--and her heart.

Review: Ms Welle provides enough false clues in this short story to fill a full length novel, and offers a tightly written and provocative story for her readers. The build up is beautifully paced and she builds her characters at an equal pace. As someone who enjoys listening to music, but not knowing the first technical thing about it, I may well have missed a specific beat in the author’s writing to represent a heartbeat. And it is the heart that is the central engine that powers The Underlying Beat.
The back story is interwoven seamlessly with the present and future and adds to the power of the author’s presentation. Each secondary character, none of them ‘seen’ all play their part in carrying the story forward.
Combine a sneaky spirit with Fate and lace it all with music and you have yourself a charming story you’ll not forget in a hurry.

Review: Story Ten
Rain by Kevin Hosey

Blurb: When his wife leaves him, Kyle escapes to a mountain cabin. There he meets the beautiful Reanna, a mysterious woman who can only appear when it rains.

Review: We were promised dark, we were promised horror and in this final story we get both. The longest offering in this anthology is hard hitting, dark and pretty horrific. That said a reader can empathise with both the hero and heroine and their dilemmas.
In both cases it was a matter of be careful what you wish for... for there are always consequences.
Reanna, a spirit of the rain is ‘living’ with the consequences of her wish and there is still more of her ‘contract’ to be worked out.
Kyle’s dilemma appears to be one familiar to many, and yet, nothing is quite as it seems. And the final confrontation with his wife take his life in a direction he never anticipated.
This story has not pretention towards the ‘feel-good-factor’ and the skilful writing of the author beguiles his readers into hoping for the best until the very end. And yet... in a convoluted way you can almost persuade yourself it IS a HEA. What I do know, is that Rain is a ‘disturbing’ story.

Overall Summary of the Paramourtal Anthology.

Fairy tales are for children! Aren’t they? Well, not these ones. O.K. but if they are fairy tales they all have happy endings, right? Wrong!
Some are inspired by mythology, other from these very children’s fairy tales mentioned above, but all take the reader to a fantasy land of one kind or another. All touch on the other-world reality.
Some will have you howling with merriment while others have you reaching for the tissues. But all of them have you totally involved with the unfolding events and the characters caught up by them.
More than once I touched on my disappointment the stories were not longer. I hold by that comment. Not only did I love the characters, but felt when reading I must have skipped a page on a couple of occasions.
I have reviewed many anthologies and understand the importance of balance of content, and in this I have to compliment both Cliffhanger Books and their editors for their selection.
For those who enjoy the paranormal, then this is definitely a book worth checking out. For those looking for well-written stories which, on the most part, will have you smiling, then dip your toe into the paranormal with this book. For those of you always looking for new authors to read, here are ten well worth adding to your TBR lists.
I know Cliffhanger books will be launching another edition of new Paramourtal stories. If they are as good as this anthology, the second book is one to put at the top of your wish list.

Kevin Hosey shares Writer and Submission Tips for Short Stories

Kevin Hosey, CEditor of Paramourtal: Tales of Undying Love and Loving The Undead

Writer and Submission Tips for Short Stories
Previously, I posted about writing my first paranormal romance tale and co-editing (with Evelyn Welle) Paramourtal, the collection of stories published by Cliffhanger Books. Today, I'm passing on some tips on writing and submitting short stories for future Cliffhanger Books anthologies, or other publishers.

First off, lets talk about short stories, in general. I recently finished writing two novels (one horror and one sci-fi). While I love working on full-length books, short stories will always be my passion. I love writing them and I love reading them. As a writer, they give me the opportunity to write about different genres and characters within a shorter span of time.

They’re also a great way to break into the fiction market quickly. I'm a bit of a procrastinator (In fact, my wife asked me to take out the trash two hours ago). So while novels can take up to a year or longer to finish (in most cases), I can write and submit a short story in a month or less (if there's nothing good on TV, that is). That means I can have several works (hopefully) published by the time my first book is accepted and released. Also, by establishing my name in the market through short stories, it will help open doors when I'm sending out queries for my novels. That's because most publishers are more willing to listen to you if you're already published.

Short stories are also a great way to introduce characters you've been thinking about using in a novel. Two of the authors included in Paramourtal wrote about characters they plan to use in future novels. By including them in our anthology, it will help them test the waters and gauge public reaction to them. If readers like the characters, the authors will forge ahead with the novel. If readers don’t, it will help them determine if the characters need to be revised or dropped all together.

On the flip side, if one or more of your published novels is successful, short stories help keep popular characters in front of the public eye between books. One of my favorite modern fictional characters is Repairman Jack from a series of mystery books by F. Paul Wilson. Every once in awhile Wilson will also publish a Jack short story to keep his fans' interest satiated while he's finishing his next novel.

Another reason why I enjoy short stories is it helps develop my ability to write full-length novels. After all, a novel is basically a series of short stories that work together to tell a more elaborate story. By working to write a short story that tells a believable tale, it helps me practice writing each chapter of a book.

Okay, enough about WHY you should write short stories. Now lets talk about HOW.

I'm sure you've already aware of the fundamentals of developing characters, plots, locales, etc., so I won't spend time on that. Instead, I'll focus on the challenges of applying those rules to a VERY limited amount of space. So grab your crowbar, a can of grease and let’s proceed.

• KEEP IT SIMPLE. If you're going to try writing short stories, put those three words on a piece of paper and tape it to your computer. It is the single most important aspect of writing effective short stories you will ever learn. (BTW, I would have used the full acronym "K.I.S.S.," but the last time I did that Gene Simmons made me pay him royalties.) Short stories must include all the elements of a well-written novel, but they have to be "squished it into a teeny-tiny living space" (to paraphrase my second favorite genie). That can be a curse or a blessing, depending on whom you talk to. I find it very exciting. Then again, shiny objects tend to draw my attention, too.

Short stories vary in length. Usually they run between 2,500 to 9,000 words. After the 9,000 mark, they lean more toward novellas. There are also a few markets that accept stories shorter than 2,500 words. One market is called Flash Fiction and it's limited to a thousand words or less. It’s very challenging to write an effective story within that framework, but it’s also fun to try. To see examples of flash fiction, check out one of my favorite sites: http://www.365tomorrows.com. Speaking of challenging, I had a short story published that had be written in no more than 25 words(!). It's part of a new collection called Hint Fiction from W.W. Norton Publishing.

No matter what length story you need to write, keep in mind that you should never write your story to fit the word limit the very first time. Like with novels, let your creative subconscious take over and flow. Write, write, write until you feel you have a complete story. For example, on a story with an 8,000-word limit, my first draft will generally have 16,000 to 20,000 words. Then I go back and edit it down to the exact word limit. Just make sure you don’t lose your characters or important plot points along the way.

• LIMIT YOUR STORY. While the story within a novel can last for years, and incorporate several subplots, locations and characters, you don't have that luxury in a short story. Keep your time span brief. Focus on one plot, and keep it at one, two or three main characters at the most. Otherwise, you may not be able to fully develop any of them effectively.

• MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT. Since you're limited to a specific number of words, make sure every one is there for a reason. I realize writers love to include detailed, creative descriptions in order to bring the reader into their world. But in a short story, that's the first thing you need to jettison. Don't spend precious space describing the beauty of a sunset or how majestic a castle looks when you should be using that space to move the plot along. Readers won't care how something looks if they have no idea where the story is going. Describe just enough to get the point across, then move on. Also, make the Thesaurus your friend. Don't use three or four words when you can use one.

• DIALOGUE. The rule above applies to dialogue, as well. Also, limit how many characters speak at one time. Some publishers will limit the number of lines per story, as well as the number of words. So if you have different characters getting into long bouts of discussions, it may add more lines. Like descriptions, have your characters say what they need to get the point across, then move on.

• POV. I always write in third person, especially in my novels. I know that first-person POV is accepted these days, especially in paranormal romance, but I find it hard to maintain in a novel. After all, it’s difficult to tell an entire 100,000 word story when you're only able to see things from one character's viewpoint. But, short stories are different. Since your usually focused on one plot and one character, first-person POV can work just fine. In fact, sometimes it even helps the story.

• READ, READ, READ. Like novels, one of the best ways to learn how to write a short story is to read them. I love reading them almost as much as I love writing them. You should do the same. And make sure you take a look at how each author incorporates the rules and suggestions listed above. Before you know it, you'll be out signing books and hobnobbing at cocktail parties.

Well, that's it for my sage guidance. But before I go, I’d like to add one final bit of advice to the aspiring writers here: SUBMIT, SUBMIT, SUBMIT. AND THEN SUBMIT AGAIN.

If you tend to hesitate to submit your work because you’re nervous about rejection or possible negative feedback, or if for some reason you feel you aren't as talented as the authors who have actually been published, parish the thought. I discovered something a long time ago — the main difference between you and writers who are published is that they sent their work out into the world. Being published is basically 10% talent and 90% luck. You know you're talented, but you can only be lucky if you're in the right place at the right time. After all, publishers can’t publish you if they don't know you exist.

Today there are literally thousands of places you can submit your work -- online and print -- so NEVER stop doing it. Keep writing and keep submitting. Even if it gets rejected, rework it and send it to another publisher. I never stop submitting a rejected story because I hate wasting my hard work. The last thing I'm going to do is toss it in a lonely drawer and leave it there to wither.

Also, I'm a bit of a late starter. I've been writing all my life (short stories, novels, screenplays, speeches, marketing copy), but, I've been focusing on my marketing career for so long I didn’t begin sending out my fiction until a few years ago. Luckily, I had stories published fairly quickly. So, if you're like me and didn’t get into the writing game in your younger years, don’t be discouraged. It's never too late.

If you are interested, there are more writing tips on the Cliffhanger Books blog: http://cliffhangerbooks.blogspot.com

Have a great day, everybody. And good luck!

Editor/Author Biography:
Kevin Hosey is an author, editor and cartoonist. His short stories have appeared in several publications, including two Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies (Simon and Schuster), Hint Fiction (W.W. Norton) and the sci-fi magazine, Beyond Centauri. He also co-edited and wrote stories for two anthologies published by Cliffhanger Books. The first was a paranormal romance collection entitled Paramourtal which was nominated for Best Romance Anthology of 2010. The second, a collection of superhero stories called Gods of Justice, premiered at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. His short story, "Cure" (from Hint Fiction), will be filmed by contestants for the 2012 Hint Fiction Film Contest. The films will premiere at the 2012 Vail Film Festival in Colorado. Visit him at kevinhosey.net.

Related Links:
Author Website: http://www.kevinhosey.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinHosey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kevinhosey
Paramourtal Buy Link: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com/books-paramourtal.html
Publisher Website: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com

Kevin, it's been a pleasure to have you and your co-authors of Paramourtal here this week. Thankyou.

Kevin Hosey is wearing his Co-Editor's hat today

Kevin Hosey, Co-Editor Paramourtal: Tales of Undying Love and Loving The Undead

Today I am sharing some of my thoughts about editing Paramourtal:

I posted last time about writing my first paranormal romance tale for Paramourtal, the collection of stories published by Cliffhanger Books. Now I’ll pass on my experiences of co-editing that anthology. But before I do that, I want to give you a little history of how I ended up editing in the first place.

I've been writing tales of fiction (mostly sci fi and horror), for almost 30 years. But, due to focusing on my career in marketing, I didn’t get serious about it until about seven years ago when I began submitting them to publishers. Never too late to start, right? I was fortunate enough — and excited (I'm a big Trek fan) — to have stories included in volumes 6 and 8 of the Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies from Simon and Schuster. Since then, I've managed to have a few more short stories included in various collections and magazines. I've also written two novels (one horror and one sci fi), but I'm still searching for the right publisher to handle them. By "right," I, of course, mean one that will finally say "yes."

Then, in 2008, I decided to try my hand at editing. Why? I was afraid you’d ask that. The phrase "mental breakdown" comes to mind. But in reality it suddenly hit me one day that with all the effort and hard work I put into writing and submitting my stories, why not try editing an anthology myself? It sounded like fun (yep, definitely a mental breakdown), plus, it would give me the opportunity to help other talented writers unleash their work into the world.

But, the aspect of spending months searching for incredible stories and putting an entire book together was daunting, to say the least. So the first thing I did was find a partner in crime who could share in the stress…I mean, glory of my quest. Fortunately, my good friend, Evelyn Welle, an exceptional editor and writer I've know for sixteen years, agreed to accompany me on the journey (and she still hasn't forgiven me).

Once I convinced (begged) Cliffhanger Books to release the book, Evelyn and I began discussing which type of anthology we would produce. She immediately suggested we do a collection of romance tales. Evelyn is a dedicated romance fiction fan and even wrote a novel that won second place in a contest held by the Romance Writers of America. While I consider myself a fairly romantic person, I didn’t feel straight romance would be something I could handle effectively. Also, I prefer fiction with more of a darker edge. So I suggested we compromise and focus on paranormal romance instead. She considered it and agreed.

We spent the next three months accepting submissions from all over the world. That was followed by two months of trying desperately to narrow them down to the ten stories that would go into the book. To be honest, when we began the project I was concerned we wouldn’t receive enough decent submissions to fill the anthology. That wasn't the case at all. Evelyn and I were surprised and delighted to discover that most of them were excellent. Not just the writers' styles, but their ideas, as well. We were afraid all we would get were hundreds of vampire and werewolf tales. We did receive some of those, but we also ended up with some truly unique supernatural characters. And it was tough choosing which were the "best" because they were all so damn good. In fact, I still feel that deciding which stories to use to be the most difficult task of the entire project. It was like deciding which was better: chocolate or peanut butter.

Bearing down, we forced ourselves to select the final ten stories. The interesting thing is, except for myself, all of them were written by women, most of whom had never been published before. When we began searching for stories, we invited both male and female writers to submit. I'm assuming it's just a coincidence that the selected stories were all female. Either that, or maybe there's a good reason that most paranormal romance is written primarily by women. But I'll let you be the judge of that.

We then began two months of working with the writers to do some story edits. All of the authors were very patient and accepted (most of) our suggested revisions. Finally, we reached the point where we were all very happy with the results (and exhausted). So on Sept. 2010 we kicked it (lovingly) out the door.

Our intense work and dedication paid off. Not only has the book been successful, it was also nominated for Best Romance Anthology for 2010 by TheRomanceReviews.com. That recognition is, of course, due to the combined efforts of all the Paramourtal authors. Each of them did a wonderful job, and it was a joy and honor working with them.

I just finished co-editing Gods of Justice, a collection or superhero stories for Cliffhanger Books. Now that its off and running (and garnering some exceptional reviews), I'm about to begin work on Paramourtal 2, the second volume of our para-rom series. Sadly, Evelyn Welle isn't able to commit to the book due to a new job. She will definitely be missed. But K. Stoddard Hayes (Karen, to her friends), my co-editor on Gods of Justice, has volunteered to make sure I don’t screw it up. Needless to say (but I will anyway), we're both very excited about the prospect of finding and working with a new batch of gifted writers.

And that could be you. If you are a writer interested in submitting a story for consideration, we invite you to visit the Cliffhanger website for details and guidelines. Go to http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com. But hurry, the deadline is Oct. 31, 2011.

Editor/Author Biography:
Kevin Hosey is an author, editor and cartoonist. His short stories have appeared in several publications, including two Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies (Simon and Schuster), Hint Fiction (W.W. Norton) and the sci-fi magazine, Beyond Centauri. He also co-edited and wrote stories for two anthologies published by Cliffhanger Books. The first was a paranormal romance collection entitled Paramourtal which was nominated for Best Romance Anthology of 2010. The second, a collection of superhero stories called Gods of Justice, premiered at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. His short story, "Cure" (from Hint Fiction), will be filmed by contestants for the 2012 Hint Fiction Film Contest. The films will premiere at the 2012 Vail Film Festival in Colorado. Visit him at kevinhosey.net.

Related Links:
Author Website: http://www.kevinhosey.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinHosey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kevinhosey
Paramourtal Buy Link: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com/books-paramourtal.html
Publisher Website: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com

Tomorrow Kevin talks about his writing.

Kevin Hosey Author of "Rain" from Paramourtal (Cliffhanger Books)

Kevin Hosey Author of "Rain" from Paramourtal (Cliffhanger Books)

My thoughts about my Paramourtal story and being in the book.

While I had written a paranormal horror novel and short stories before (still looking for publishers for them), I had never written paranormal romance prior to co-editing the anthology Paramourtal for Cliffhanger Books. In fact, it wasn't my idea to adapt that genre for the book. It was mostly Evelyn Welle's, my co-editor. She is a huge romance fiction fan and even wrote a novel that won second place in a contest held by the Romance Writers of America. Yet, while I consider myself a fairly romantic person, I wanted to do something with more of a darker edge than just pure romance. So we ultimately agreed on paranormal romance.

That decided, I was faced with the one thing that terrifies most writers: coming up with an idea.

But then, to my relief, I suddenly remembered I had already written a story about thirty years ago that contained para-rom elements. Since, fortunately, I have never thrown out any unpublished story I ever wrote (I hate wasting my hard work), I still had the original hand-written tale stuffed in an old box in my attic. So, like the undead buried for centuries waiting for the chance to rise again, I dug it out, dusted it off and typed it into my Mac.

I initially wrote the story not long after I began dating the woman who would become and still is my wife (Hi, honey!). While the basic idea was still sound (a man staying in a mountain cabin meets his soul mate in the woods, only to discover that she is not…quite…normal), it needed some drastic revisions. For one thing, it was just too…sweet. So I watered down much of the sunshine and sugar I pumped into it years ago, and made it darker and scarier. Why? Because that's the kind of stuff I love to read and write. It also gave the two main characters, Kyle and Reanna, more hurdles to overcome in their quest for true love.

Oh, and I saddled Kyle with a very cynical attitude toward the world. In my original version, he was a happy-go-lucky guy who grew even giddier after meeting the "perfect" woman in the woods. But in the revised story, he is in the midst of a very bitter divorce, which is why he journeys to the cabin deep in the mountains in the first place. That change in attitude was something I felt he needed to give him more emotional depth.

I could go into more details about the changes, but then I’d spoil the story. I will say that the new ending I attached has sparked some heated debates amongst people who have read it. Some people love it, while others truly hate it. But as I wrote the story, I felt it was necessary. I didn’t want a typical "happy ending." I'm not saying they don’t end up together (SPOILER ALERT!). They do. Just not the way some people wanted — including Kyle and Reanna.

As for my overall experience of working with paranormal romance, I had a blast. Not only did I enjoy writing the story, but also co-editing the book. It was a wonderful experience working with Evelyn and the other extremely talented authors. Plus, we were all very excited when Paramourtal was nominated for Best Romance Anthology by TheRomanceReviews.com.

Currently, I'm getting ready to co-edit the second volume of the Paramourtal series with the help of K. Stoddard Hayes, one of the authors in the first book. That, of course, means I'll need to write a story, too. Problem is, I don't have another para-rom tale sitting in my dusty old box. So, now I'll have to come up with an entirely new idea.

And that is more nerve-wracking than any paranormal story I could ever write.

Describe your thoughts on being a romance writer.
To be honest, I don’t consider myself a "romance" or even a "paranormal romance" writer. I also don’t consider myself a an author of science fiction, horror, adventure or even young reader fiction, though I have written those type of stories. In reality, I prefer to just think of myself as a writer period. I love trying my hand at various forms of fiction, no matter what the genre or the format.

I even wrote one story last year called "Cure" that was only 25 words long. It was included in a book of 250 stories entitled Hint Fiction. Recently, I was excited to learn that my story was one of only ten chosen from the book to be included in a Hint Fiction Film Contest. Those stories will be used as the basis for films running one minute or less. All of the entries will then be shown at the 2012 Vail Film Festival in Colorado. I am thrilled to be part of the event and I can’t wait to see what they do with my story.

A couple of years ago I made the decision to become an editor in order to help other writers unleash their talent into the world. But I'll discuss more of that and the process of editing Paramourtal in an upcoming post.

A short excerpt from "Rain" (from Paramourtal):
“Kyle….”
Startled by the whisper, Kyle Waite spun away from the deformed tree. No one was there. He stood still, listening. But all he heard were rain drops spattering against the forest floor.
Then he spotted something across the clearing. It was a white form standing amongst the trees. Stepping closer, he realized it was a young woman. And she was staring at him.
“Hello?” Kyle called. When she didn’t answer, he said, “Are you lost?” Then he mumbled, “Join the club.”
Instead of answering, she motioned to him gracefully. Curious, Kyle approached her. As he did, he saw that she was incredibly beautiful. No, she was gorgeous. Shoulder-length honey-tinted hair framed her fair-skinned porcelain face. And her green eyes seemed to reflect bright sunlight even though there was none.
Then he noticed she was only wearing a thin white ankle-length dress that flowed slowly in the cold mountain breeze. It was so sheer he could clearly see she wore nothing underneath.
Why would she be dressed in such skimpy attire? In fact, why was she wandering the woods anyway?
Reluctantly, Kyle pulled his gaze away from her near-perfect figure and focused on her face. There was something oddly…familiar about—
“Hello,” she said. Her voice was gentle and soothing, like the rain falling around them.
“Hi. Are you…aren’t you cold? Would you like my jacket?”
“No, thank you,” she smiled. “I’m fine.”
Kyle nodded. Not sure what else to say, he introduced himself.
She was silent a moment as she gazed into his eyes. Then she whispered, “Reanna.”
“A beautiful name,” he said, and then grimaced. It sounded like a cheap pickup line. He indicated his jacket again. “Are you sure about—?”
“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Kyle,” she said, and he smiled at the way she spoke his name. “But, I really don’t need it. I love this weather. It makes me feel alive.”
She did a graceful pirouette and muted sunlight glinted off her hair.
He began to ask what she meant, then blinked when he noticed something incredibly peculiar: She wasn’t wet. They both stood in the midst of a cold mountain rainfall, yet she wasn’t wet. Not even damp.
“I don’t…understand,” he said. “You should be soaked. Why are you still dry?”
She didn’t reply. Instead, her eyes again captured him. Oddly, the fact that she wasn’t wet slipped away. He was still aware of it, it just didn’t seem as important as it had a moment before.
“I don’t mean to be forward, Reanna,” he said hesitantly, “but you are absolutely incredible.”
More possible pickup lines, but he didn’t care. It was true, and he felt compelled to tell her.
Reanna laughed softly. “Thank you.”
She began walking away from the clearing, so Kyle followed.

Author Biography:
I am an author, editor and cartoonist. My short stories have appeared in several publications, including two Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies (Simon and Schuster), Hint Fiction (W.W. Norton) and the sci-fi magazine, Beyond Centauri. I also co-edited and wrote stories for two anthologies published by Cliffhanger Books. The first was a the afore-mentioned paranormal romance collection entitled Paramourtal, which was nominated for Best Romance Anthology of 2010. The second, a collection of superhero stories called Gods of Justice, premiered at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. My short story, "Cure" (from Hint Fiction), will be filmed by contestants for the 2012 Hint Fiction Film Contest. The films will premiere at the 2012 Vail Film Festival in Colorado. Visit him at www.kevinhosey.net.

Current and upcoming works:
My previous work can be seen at kevinhosey.net. Currently, I am putting the finishing touches on a horror novel and getting ready to begin co-editing Paramourtal 2, the second volume in Cliffhanger Books' award-nominated para-rom series. If any writers are interested in submitting a story for consideration, we invite you to visit the Cliffhanger Books website for details: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com

Related Links:
Author Website: http://www.kevinhosey.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinHosey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kevinhosey
Paramourtal Buy Link: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com/books-paramourtal.html
Publisher Website: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com

Come back for more from Kevin tomorrow.

Evelyn Welle Author of "The Underlying Beat" in Paramourtal

Evelyn Welle, Author of "The Underlying Beat" in Paramourtal, talks to us today about what inspired her to write The Underlying Beat

Several moving instrumental pieces inspired “The Underlying Beat,” my paranormal romance tale. Megan had never questioned her sanity until meeting reclusive and mysterious composer Lee. The haunting music’s underlying beat and inexplicable visions infiltrate her mundane life. As the hypnotic combination resurrects and intensifies forgotten longings, she encounters the eternal powers of the heart.

Creative writing was my first love even though my career still focuses on corporate communications and publication editing. When Cliffhanger Books published my short story in “Paramourtal,” it fulfilled a lifelong dream. As co-editor of the book, I enjoyed reading and commenting on an amazingly diverse range of paranormal character types, plots, settings and tones. The result is an engrossing anthology that’s more varied and distinctive than we hoped.

My strength has always been grammar and writing style over story idea. I had already written my tale before reading submissions, so the innovative concepts and ingenious novelty of many blew me away. I marveled how several visionary authors created imaginative fictional worlds and unconventional supernatural character types. Two examples are “A Touch of Sand” by Nicole Brugger-Dethmers and “The Prince and the Spoon” by Kelly Wisdom. These and other stories inspired my mind to take an unrestrained leap and a fanciful approach in writing “Believed into Being” for “Paramourtal 2.” I surprised myself by enabling an uncommon paranormal character type to wield unbelievable magical powers in a more inventive love story. So thanks, “Paramourtal” authors.

My passion for words inspires me to create emotional connections to elicit heartfelt reactions. Beautiful instrumental music encourages my flowery writing style. This combination makes romance the perfect genre for me. Fiction writing is so much fun because my characters often take over and write their own tale. I’m always eager to see how their love story will evolve and turn out when I get to the sometimes unexpected end. I wrote contemporary romance before switching to the paranormal sub-genre. It allows me to go further creatively with the opportunity to involve colorful characters with more layers and captivating supernatural powers. Being able to push creative license beyond mortal limitations is tempting, freeing and rewarding.

Evelyn: Megan, what was your reaction when you met Lee?
Megan: Fear, but I didn’t know if he was truly dangerous or just extremely quirky. I wanted to escape until I watched and listened to an astounding live performance. Then I vowed to discover the truth behind the antisocial artist’s well-concealed past. Since I was harboring a sensitive secret too, I sympathized with Lee for wanting to guard his. But I couldn’t imagine why anyone so talented would rather hide out in the woods than enjoy fame in the public eye.
Evelyn: Lee, what was your reaction when you met Megan?
Lee: She seemed nice, so I didn’t want to scare her. But I had to protect my anonymity to preserve my safety. I couldn’t let anyone discovered my identity. Yet when she embraced my music, I let my guard down for the first time in years.
Evelyn: Megan, how did Lee’s music affect you?
Megan: Before meeting Lee, I found it dark, depressing and vague. But in person, it blew me away. I had a shockingly deep visceral reaction to it. Lee’s style is so expressive that it swept me through a swell of emotions from highs to lows. The intensity burst forth from my heart and sent chills cascading down my arms. And the underlying beat was so hypnotic, it continued to reverberate in my chest long after the music ended.
Evelyn: Lee, what inspires your music?
Lee: I wondered that myself when my style changed suddenly. It just flowed out of me in a mix of New Age and classical tone poem styles that depicts the emotion of a story, poem or imagery from fantasy, imagination or memory. Pouring my energy into compositions felt so cathartic, I quit questioning the source of my muse until Megan figured it out.
Evelyn: Megan, did you sense any correlation between Lee’s music and secluded life style?
Megan: Only someone who had gone from love to loss to bittersweet acceptance could emote in a flourish of extremes and move me so profoundly.
Evelyn: Lee, why did you let Megan into your life?
Lee: After years of living in exile, some unexplainable force overpowered my standard objection to publicity and compelled me to meet her. I felt an incredible bond with Megan and was powerless to stop it.
Evelyn: Megan, what did think caused your weird dreams and visions?
Megan: They freaked me out, so I thought I was going insane. But somehow, the inexplicable oddities implicated Lee’s mesmerizing and addictive music. I’d never believed in the occult, but something otherworldly had taken control. I never would have guessed the source, but I’m grateful it brought Lee into my life and granted us closure at last.

Author bio including previous published work.
Evelyn Welle began her writing career as Poet Laureate of the Fifth Grade. While earning an English and journalism degree at Texas Christian University, she won two poetry awards. Evelyn has been a corporate communications professional and publication editor for over 30 years. In 2005, she won second place in a Romance Writers of America contest. Evelyn was co-editor of Cliffhanger Books’ 2010 “Paramourtal” anthology that included her paranormal romance short story, “The Underlying Beat.” She also started the Cliffhanger Books blog of fiction writing tips. Look for her latest story, “Believed into Being,” in the upcoming “Paramourtal 2.” Evelyn and her family live in north Texas.

Find Evelyn at:

Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000072304079&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=100000072304079
Twitter  http://twitter.com/#!/FictionDiction

Order “Paramourtal”:

Paperback: Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453824383?ie=UTF8&tag=kevinhoseynet-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=14538243830

Digital: Smashwords  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/27620

M.C. DeMarco ~ Author of "Sympathy From the Devil" in Paramourtal

M.C. DeMarco

Author of "Sympathy From the Devil" in Paramourtal

The interview:

MCD:   Thanks for inviting us, Sherry.  Although I’ve written a trunkload of romantic tales, my Paramourtal story, “Sympathy From the Devil,” was my first romance publication.

Forcas:   And your last, I hope.

Ariel:   Forcas, it’s not our turn yet.

Forcas:   Demons don’t take turns.

Ariel:   You’re not--

MCD:   No spoilers!  Sorry about that, Sherry.  My characters can be a little--

Sherry: LOL Tell me about it!

Forcas:   Forceful.

Ariel:   Childish.

MCD:   I was going to say uppity.  I usually write science fiction and fantasy, but I had an idea for the Paramourtal anthology about a guardian angel running into her ex-boyfriend in a bar.

Forcas:   I wasn’t her boyfriend.  It was just a casual fling.  You know how the Bronze Age was.

Ariel:   They’re mortal, Forcas.  They don’t remember the Bronze age.  Anyway, Forcas has been in love with me since before the Fall, but he won’t admit it.
Forcas:   Me?  You’ve been hot for my demon as--
Ariel:   Please watch your language, Forcas.
Forcas:   --assets all along.
Ariel:   If I wanted beachfront property on the Lake of Fire, I could have followed Satan to Hell along with you.
Forcas:  Lucifer.  And we all know what you wanted.
MCD:   Forcas is making some gestures that, fortunately, I don’t have to describe in this context.  Could we please get back on topic?
Ariel:   I apologize for my companion.  What was the topic?
Forcas:   My assets.
MCD:   My story.
Ariel:   I thought it was a well-written story, although a little racy for my tastes.
Forcas:   You don’t know from racy, angelcakes.
Ariel:   I’ve seen what my charges keep under their mattresses--and what you keep under yours, Forcas.
Forcas:   So you know that the author hardly did justice to my assets. 
Ariel:   The less said about your assets, the better, Forcas.
MCD:   Agreed.
Forcas:   I never claimed to be Lucifer.  Any deficiencies in size or proportion are entirely the author’s fault.  Blame her.
Ariel:   It’s not what you have; it’s how you use it.
Forcas:   I don’t recall any complaints the last time I used it.  In fact, you were begging for more.
Ariel:   Angels don’t beg.
Forcas:   No, they just suck up to authority.  I could see pandering to God--
Ariel:   Angels worship the Most High voluntarily.
Forcas:   And if you don’t volunteer, you get tossed into the Lake of Fire, so sure, I can see your point there.  But now you’re pandering to the author, a mere mortal, hoping for a sequel--
MCD:   I’m afraid we’ve strayed off-topic again.  You know our editor doesn’t like it when you two argue about religion.
Ariel:   I apologize.  But will there be a sequel?
MCD:   I think I’m supposed to ask the questions here.  So, Ariel, how did you feel seeing Forcas for the first time in a thousand years?
Ariel:   My mind was on my job, of course.
Forcas:    Sure it was.
Ariel:   Your friend Sherry is looking restless.  I think we should go.
Sherry:  I thought I was laughing, sorry.
Forcas:   Yeah, let’s blow this chick-fest.
MCD:   Well, Sherry, I didn’t get very many answers out of them.  I’m afraid they’re always like that.

A short excerpt from the story "Sympathy From the Devil":

            Ariel couldn’t bear to watch. She put her head in her hands, covering her eyes. “Why couldn’t you resist temptation tonight?”

            A gruff but strangely familiar voice replied, “He has to give in some night or other. Why not tonight?”

            Ariel peeked through her fingers. Across the table from her sat a demon, who must have materialized while she wasn’t watching. Short horns poked out of his shaggy black hair. He grinned, showing his fangs but also an echo of a smile she’d once known.

            “Forcas?”

            “Long time no see, Ariel. What’s it been—a century? Two?”

            “A thousand years,” she admitted.

            “How time flies.”

            She could hear his tail flicking back and forth like a whip beneath the round table, a stark contrast to his flat tone. Ariel forced herself to concentrate on her job. Sometimes you ran into a fallen angel at work. You just had to stake out your territory, not rehash the War in Heaven.

            “Matt is still mine,” she told Forcas. “Get out of here.”

            He nodded toward the redhead. “And Jenny is mine, so I’m staying.” A dark beer materialized in his hand, and he drained half of it in one gulp. Ariel glanced at the mortal couple.            “She doesn’t look far gone enough to have her own guardian devil.”

            “She’s freshly fallen. Your fellow there is her one-way ticket to the place where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.” Forcas took a swig of beer and belched steam, as if quenching his own inner fires.

            Ariel absorbed the information. “She’s married?”

            “Unhappily. Mr. Gagnon is out of town this week.”

            Ariel let go of the edge of the table and sat up straight and righteous.  “I suppose you people arranged that too.”

            “Not at all. Jenny’s issues go all the way back to her deadbeat father. She replaced him with yet another ass, and now he’s out of town, so—”

            “You’re tempting her to abandon her family.” Ariel sighed. As if the vagaries of life were not enough to lead mortals to sin.

            “Perish the thought.” Forcas sat up straighter on his barstool, puffed up with devilish pride. “They don’t have kids, and she’s sinning just fine on her own. I’m just here to observe.”

My bio:

M. C. DeMarco lives near Boston, Massachusetts, where she writes speculative fiction after hours. She attended the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop in 2004 and won the NESFA 2005 Science Fiction & Fantasy

Story Contest. Her short stories have appeared in the Strange New Worlds 8, Strange New Worlds 10, and Paramourtal anthologies.

Links:

http://www.mcdemarco.net/

http://twitter.com/mcdemarco

http://gplus.to/mcdemarco

Please come back tomorrow when  Evelyn Welle is joining us.

K Stoddard Hayes: Romance, Spec Fiction and Writing The Fisherman’s Wife

K. Stoddard Hayes, Author of "The Fisherman's Wife" in Paramourtal

I did not become a writer by accident; I have never wanted to be anything else. My grandmother, Margaret Cabell Self, published nearly 60 books about horses; my mother, Gincy Self Bucklin, is working on her fourth, and my grandfather was a Wall Street Journal reporter. So, of course, no one in my family ever told me that a writing career was a pipe dream! My first significant writing success came when I started selling magazine articles about science fiction and fantasy film and television. I published hundreds of articles, wrote one licensed book and contributed to several scholarly books. I currently make my bread and butter as a freelance commercial writer, doing web sites, newsletters and other business marketing copy, as well as taking on a very limited amount of creative editorial work.

As a teenager I discovered romance by reading Austin, the Brontes, and my mother’s collection of Georgette Heyers (I still have a whole shelf of these that I reread frequently). I’ve never had much success writing romances, though. Maybe other writers can work in whatever genre they want, but genre doesn’t seem to be a choice for me. When I was first learning the writing craft in my teens and twenties, I tried all my favorite genres, including children’s picture books, historical romance and cosy mystery. The only stories that ever came easily were always the SF and fantasy ideas. I finally accepted that spec fiction is the way my imagination bends a story, so that’s what I do. My newest short story is a space Western, “The Dodge,” appearing in the new Cliffhanger Books anthology Gods of Justice. No romance in that one, but writing it led to the creation of a new universe, where I have already found a romance or two lurking in the larger story of New Colorado.

Creating universes is one of my favorite aspects of writing fiction, and the subject of my blog, Worldbuilding Rules! In fact, the idea for “The Fisherman’s Wife” came from a post I wrote in 2009. In that post, “End the vampire pandemic!” I offered a list of supernatural beings that writers might use instead of the overused vampires, werewolves and zombies dominating pop culture. When the Paramourtal call for submissions came out soon after, I felt compelled to take up my own challenge. And there in my list was the germ of an idea: the selkie legend, familiar to anyone of Gaelic ancestry. In the legend, a fisherman steals the skin of a seal woman so she has to stay in human form and marry him. After years of marriage, she or one of her children finds the hidden skin, and she puts it on and leaves her family to return to the sea.

I thought my story should have a better ending than the legend, though. What if the husband and wife could find a way to stay together after all? Falling in love seems to me relatively easy compared to staying in love, especially years down the road when life is pounding your relationship with many fists. That staying-in-love process is what “The Fisherman’s Wife” is really about.

I was delighted to have the story accepted in Paramourtal, but the best outcome was that it led to my current relationship with Cliffhanger Books. When editor Evelyn Welle had to move on, publisher Kevin Hosey invited me to step in as Project Editor, so I’ll have the privilege of being an editor on Paramourtal 2. I hope some of you reading this will soon come across my desk.

You can learn more about K. Stoddard Hayes at  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/438895.K_Stoddard_Hayes

Please come back tomorrow and meet M. C. DeMarco

Meet the first author of Paramourtal this week

This week THoR is hosting a collection of authors who, together, participating in this compelling paranormal anthology Paramourtal. And our first featured author
Nicole Brugger-Dethmers 

"Paramourtal is a collection of spellbinding new paranormal romance stories that will grip your heart and haunt you for days."http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com/books-paramourtal.html

Today Nicole Brugger-Dethmers Author of "A Touch of Sand" in Paramourtal tells us a little bit about herself and her contribution.

Author Bio: Nicole Brugger-Dethmers likes romance best when she can couple it with fantasy. Previously, she has published a YA fantasy short story. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two cats.

About Paramourtal: I am so lucky to be represented in Paramourtal with so many great writers! I’ve laughed and/or gasped my way through every story, and I think there’s a little bit of something for everyone. One of the things I like best is the wide variety of paranormal characters, including unusual ones and unique spins on familiar ones.

Interview with Angeline and Nicholas:

Nicole: Angeline and Nicholas, can you tell me a little bit of how you first met?

Angeline: I was really quite young, eight or nine perhaps. I was being a dreadful nuisance to my mother one day. She sent me out of doors with my nursemaid, and I suppose I thought it was great fun to annoy her as well, as children often do. The poor woman chased me all over town, it seemed. To get away from her, I ran across the bridge spanning the river, but since I was paying more attention to what was behind me than what was before me, I tripped and nearly plunged headlong into the water. Nicholas appeared as if by magic and saved me.

Nicholas: Although I remember that day fondly, I recall meeting Angeline before then. It was some years prior, and Angeline had lost a favorite rag doll. She was crying most prodigiously, and even at that young age, I felt I had a duty to stop those tears. I found the doll in a bag of flour in the pantry, of all places! How she managed to get past my mother, I will never know.


Angeline: Oh, I do remember that day! Yes, Nicholas appeared before me all covered in flour, holding my little Betsy doll. I was so embarrassed at having been found out playing in the pantry, I just grabbed her up and ran away!

Nicole: How do you handle coming from two different social worlds?

Nicholas: Very badly, in some cases! It is tiresome dealing with those who do not understand our situation and cannot imagine a world in which people like us are together. I am afraid to say I have lost my temper on more than one occasion.

Nicole: Situation?

Nicholas: Angeline being from her family, myself being the son of the housekeeper, and both of us deeply in love with each other. It seems likely we would have continued on the paths assigned to us by our families and society if it had not been for the Sandman’s interference. For that, at least, I can thank him.

Nicole: Ah, yes, the Sandman. Could you speak a little about him? What was he like?

Angeline: He was… very kind to me. Very gentle. But also very sad and lonely. I could read it in his face and his tone. It must have been so hard to be by himself for so many years. I find I cannot be too angry with him.

Nicole: He took you to his castle outside of time, in the Desert with No Name. What was it like there?

Angeline: Terrifying, to begin with. It is difficult to appreciate the beauty and splendor of a place when you have been taken there against your will! But the Sandman’s castle is truly wondrous. He can change the very nature of the walls to make windows appear!

Nicole: Nicholas, what is your favorite thing that Angeline does? And Angeline, your favorite thing Nicholas does?

Nicholas: She has this adorable little dance she does when she gets excited or is extremely happy…

Angeline: *blushes* When he cleans the oven without a shirt on!

Story excerpt from “A Touch of Sand”: Somnus the Sandman has taken Angeline to his castle in the Desert with No Name. With the help of a mysterious crone, Nicholas has travelled through his dreams to find her, but the enchantment will not last forever…

Nicholas reached out again, as if to caress her face. His fingers curled into fists. She could see the walls through his incorporeal body.

“God, I wish I could touch you,” he breathed, voice catching.

Heat flashed through her, leaving her limbs weak and nearly taking her voice away. “Please, do not leave me!”

“I will always be with you,” he said, and he leaned in until his ghostly lips were alongside her cheek. “Wait for me!”

His countenance faded from view, but his words echoed in her ears.

Angeline reentered the maze of corridors and returned to her room. The few minutes with Nicholas had revitalized her. Now in his absence, she felt spiritless, like a toy that had wound down.

Sitting in the room’s overstuffed armchair, she imagined his sun-bronzed arms enveloping her and easing her anxious heart.

You can learn more about Nicole Brugger-Dethmers at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4428562.Nicole_Brugger_Dethmers

Please come back tomorrow and meet K. Stoddard Hayes