'Tis The Season for Nocturnal Bumping and Such

It's that time of year again! Here in the US, the days are shorter, the nights are longer...and darker...perfect for us primarily nocturnal beings. I love all things autumn -- carnivals, festivals, candied apples, cooler weather, but most of all, I love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday and I look forward to it with all the excitement of a kid awaiting a visit from Santa Claus.

Why do I love Halloween so much? Well, for one, the television is running a nearly constant variety of "documentary" and "hidden history" shows on vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and anything else they can think up. I love these types of shows. Blame my dad. Of course, his interests in show of this nature were geared more toward science, politics, and world history. Nevertheless, he influenced me and even though my interests are decidedly darker he did teach me to not stop with only information given through one source. But that really doesn't explain why I love Halloween.

Again, we can blame my dad. My enthusiasm overshadows his but he still liked the holiday because it was one of the few days of the year when he sort of cut loose and let his hair down. Not that my dad had that much hair. He wasn't a huge fan of the costumes and the trick or treating -- although he did enjoy sharing "The Loot" my siblings and I brought home -- but he did enjoy having a bit of storytelling fun.

The key to understanding my dad's interest in Halloween is understanding that he was a master storyteller. No, he never wrote anything down, but he could captivate you with his tall tales to the point you would wonder if he was telling the truth. In fact, that's what made him so great. He always slipped in kernels of the truth in every story, and one of his favorite genres was the ghost story.

I grew up listening to tales of phantom lights, ladies in white, spirit hounds, and shadows seen from the corners of your eyes. I loved them all. Mom hated them, but only because she knew the nightmares where coming and she'd be the one rushing to my side in the wee hours of the morning because some spectre was attacking me. (Turns out it was just the cat looking to snuggle but when it's 2AM and your seven years old, the family pet is a ferocious devil-possessed panther coming to rip off your face. It was an honest case of mistaken identification anyone could make.)

Since it's the nearly time for all the goblins, ghouls, and ghosts to run amok (Amok! Amok! Amok!) again, let's have a little fun of our own with a contest. I think I shall dub this one the "Things That Go Bump in the Night" Contest. Keep reading for more information...

Things That Go Bump in the Night Contest

Prize: One (1) autographed copy of BLOOD LAW

To Enter: Post EITHER your favorite ghost story -- whether it's a real encounter or an urban legend -- OR your favorite childhood memory of Halloween.

The Rules:

1. One (1) entry per person. This means you post once with either a ghost story or a Halloween memory. Multiple entries will be disqualified.

2. Contest is open to international participants.

3. One (1) entry will be selected at random and declared the winner.

4. Winner will be announced HERE on November 1, 2010.

5. Please DO NOT post your email address along with your entry.

6. Please keep entries to a PG-13 rating. Graphic entries will be deleted.

About That Mysterious Email...

If you follow my Twitter feed (and if you don't, why aren't you?), you will probably have noticed a tweet I made yesterday, October 14, regarding a "mysterious email" I received. Naturally a few people on Twitter were curious to know what it said. At the time I couldn't say for a couple of reasons....

1. I needed time to think it over.
2. I needed time to check it out for legitimacy purposes.
3. I needed time to respond and receive confirmation of my response.
4. I wanted to build the suspense until it was palpable...until the tension was so tight that the slightest pressure would make it snap like a hundred dollar toy in the hands of a three-year-old on Christmas morning.

Well, the wait is over. All of my criteria have been met. Therefore I can spill the beans about the email:

I was contacted yesterday by the special events coordinator for the Mobile County library. She had a request from a local middle school teacher for an author to help with a special project for her 6th grade class. I was recommended for the project by my friend and mentor Carolyn Haines. After checking on the project and thinking it over, I gladly accepted the invitation.

What is this special project? I will be meeting with the 6th grade class and helping their teacher to judge entries for a "Make a Book" Contest. I'm both excited and honored to be asked to participate, even in a small way, with this event.

As the youngest child in a family of teachers, I believe education, creativity, and literacy are vital. The "Make a Book" Contest combines all three and any time I can give back to the community and encourage the next generation of authors and artists, I will gladly do so.

So there you have it. That's my "mysterious email." Pretty cool, huh?

Shiny New Stuff!

I have some shiny new stuff to announce:

First, BLOOD SECRETS, Book 2 in the Alexandra Sabian series, is once again with my wonderful editor. Yes, the revisions are done! Yay! It's slated for release in summer 2011. As soon as I have a confirmed release date, I'll let everyone know.

While I'm on the subjectof BLOOD SECRETS, be sure to check out the listing on Goodreads...which now includes the following description:

WHEN ALEXANDRA SABIAN SINKS HER TEETH INTO AN INVESTIGATION, SHE DOESN’T LET GO.

Alex let a case of murdered vamps get personal and is suspended from the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigation. Now she’s facing an official inquiry but has a chance to redeem herself. The catch: she must once again work with Varik Baudelaire, her former mentor and ex-fiancé, as he spearheads a search for a missing college student. But Varik has been keeping secrets from Alex and his mysterious past is on a collision course with his present.

When Alex and Varik discover a carefully handcrafted doll at a crime scene, neither of them can see how close the danger really is or that a killer known as the Dollmaker has made Alex the object of his horrific desire. Now the only way out of the Dollmaker’s lair is through the twilight realm of the Shadowlands, where all secrets—for better or worse—will be revealed.

Yes, Alex and Varik are back and in trouble...a lot of trouble. I'm really excited about BLOOD SECRETS and hope this give y'all a little glimpse of what's to come so you can be excited too.

My second big announcement has just been confirmed. I'll actually have two releases next year! BLOOD SECRETS in the summer and a short story in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE in the fall! The anthology will be released in the UK in September and the US in October. It's my first major foray into the world of anthologies, and I'm very excited and honored to have been invited to be a part of it. How could I not be with a cover like this?

I'll keep everyone updated on release dates and such as I can. Thanks to all my readers who have made BLOOD LAW a success and who have contacted me to let me know how much they enjoy the book. I hope I can continue to entertain you for many years to come.

- Jeannie