The Basement Book Blast

Blurb:

Alex is haunted by visions of the dying, but now it seems the ghosts he’s seeing are real as well.

In this sequel to ALEX and THE SHED, Alex wonders if he’s seeing ghosts. His friend Justin has bought the Fulton place, a beautiful old mansion on the edge of Oakton. But something’s wrong in the house. Alex has visions of a small boy, trapped in the basement, and a man at the top of the stairs who won’t let him leave.

And Logan Fulton has come to town, Helen Kramer’s cousin, a psychic medium who wants something from Helen, whatever the cost. He and Helen had spent time in the Fulton house as children and Alex suspects Logan has something to do with the spirits now awakening in the old mansion. But whether Logan is calling them forth or if something else is controlling them, Alex can’t be sure.

The child’s spirit calls to Alex, as do others trapped in the house. There is a dark entity holding them there, keeping the child forever in the basement, the others for his amusement. But Alex has never believed in ghosts, so what is really going on? As he strives to learn the boy’s secret, his friends are one by one pulled to the Fulton place and put in danger while Logan works against Alex, having an agenda of his own. Will Alex be able to solve the haunting of the old house, or will he and his friends be taken one by one, doomed to walk the dark hallways forever?


Excerpt:
“So, Alex… What’s up?” he drawled, shaking his head when Alex gave him a confused look. He waved his hand at Alex’s clothing and Alex glanced down. Dark color flooded his face, and he plucked at his shirt, coughing as dust rose up around him.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” Alex said quietly. He sounded humiliated, not meeting Justin’s gaze. Justin could have kicked himself. He hadn’t meant to make him feel self-conscious.

“Not a problem,” he hastened to say. “Just wondering what you’re doing under my house.”

Alex glanced at him, eyes dark with emotion, definitely troubled. “I had to get in…” He covered his face with his dirty hands, voice catching on a ragged breath. “Give me a minute. This one’s hard. He’s so scared…”

He began to shake, obviously fighting for control. A sob escaped him, and Angie flung an arm around his waist despite the dust. “Hey, we’re here. Everything’s okay.”

They waited, and Justin unclenched the fists he hadn’t known he’d made, his hands sore.

Taking a deep breath, Alex looked up at them, and his expression turned puzzled. “What’s going on? Justin, you look like you’ve seen a…ghost.”

“I think he has, but he won’t tell me,” Angie said, frowning at Justin.

He tried to shrug it off. “I thought I saw something… A little girl.”

“Oh, her.” Alex looked unimpressed. “She’s just residual, a memory of a girl who once lived here. No consciousness. Nothing to be afraid of.”

“Oh really?” Justin said dryly. “Well, she scared the crap out of me.”

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Don’t forget to visit the other stops on the tour.



About the Author:

Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, m/m romance, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

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Buy Links:
Amazon    |    B&N    |    Solstice Publishing

Callum's Fate Cover Reveal

Synopsis:

In 1780, Scotland, following a harsh year of drought, Callum Mackenzie is forced from his father’s farm in the hopes of finding work.

But as fate would have it, Callum is lured onto the moors by the will-o-the-wisp. Lost in the dark, he falls into enchantment, encountering faeries and nymphs, until he stumbles into the arms of a licentious Barrow-Wight who lays claim to his soul.

Hearing his silent pleas, Donal sends Liam the gruagach (faery) to rescue Callum and bring him to his farm, a place of refuge from the Fae.

Callum is happy working on Donal’s farm, slowly falling in love with the beautiful, silver-haired gruagach.

Yet there's something wrong in the nearby forest….

Despite Donal’s warnings, Callum is lured into the forest and becomes tangled in its magic, easy prey for the Barrow-Wight.

Will Liam be able to strike a deal with the Barrow-Wight to save Callum’s life, or has Callum found his last resting place instead?

Pre-order links:

Don’t miss the final day of the Australia Day Sale – 50% off all titles, including coming soon books, on the WIP website!

WIP     |     ARe     |     Amazon

And now, here's the cover:

Excerpt:

CALLUM RAN UNTIL his lungs burned, every breath ragged and painful. Fear spurred him on, though fog began to cling to the rough mounds of the barrows, making such flight dangerous. Stones stabbed through his worn boots with each footfall, but he daren’t stop. There had been voices in the shadows….

Exhaustion slowed him, his chest heaving as he fought for air. Dusk spread its dark mantle on the landscape, and he shivered as a finger of dread traveled up his spine. Perilous to be on the moors at night without shelter. He cursed the ill fortune that had sent him this way, but he was hungry and ill. He’d followed the will-o’-the-wisp, thinking they were the lights of a farmhouse. His brothers would crudely have called them swamp gas and continued on the road, but Callum had always been the fool.

An owl hooted in the semi-darkness, making his skin crawl. “Sweet Lord,” he muttered, heart thumping. “Protect me—”

He stumbled on a loose stone and fell heavily against a dark mound of earth. Oh God! The ground caved in under him and he dropped into the barrow in a shower of dirt.

“Save me!” he sobbed as he scrambled to his knees.

Sinewy arms reached up from the blackness and twined around him. Callum screamed, but no sound escaped his throat, choked with terror. He was yanked against a hard chest and hands ran over him, disembodied in the darkness.

“Soft. Sweet.” A voice sliced the silence and a cold breath washed over his face. He gagged on the waft of rot and decay. The tip of a dry tongue scraped along his jaw and he shuddered against the body under him. “Nice strong bones to gnaw,” the voice continued. “Sweet marrow to suck and swallow. Shall I eat you, my lovely one?”

Callum whimpered as the low tones wound through his head. The mists parted and moonlight filled the barrow, showing him the creature. He gasped at the cold beauty of its face. Eyes dark as pitch burned into him and brushed against his soul. Lush lips, dripping honey, overripe, took his mouth in a kiss that sent his pulse into a riot of hunger and desire.

About the Author:

DIANNE HARTSOCK is the author of m/m erotic romance, both contemporary and fantasy, the psychological thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. Oh, and a floral designer. If she can’t be writing, at least she has the chance to create through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage to bring a smile to someone’s face.

Currently, Dianne lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.

Website     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Pinterest

The Shed VBT

Blurb:

As a Certified Mental Health Therapist, Scott Reid has his share of interesting experiences, though nothing compares with the time he spends with the psychic, Alex Elson. Plagued by terrifying images and dreams, Alex turns to Doctor Reid in the hopes of learning to control his visions. Instead, Scott is pulled into Alex’s world, where dreams and reality mix and nightmares are real.

Two young men, brothers, have been abducted from the lake outside of Oakton without a trace of who took them. That is, until Alex receives a silver pocket watch in the mail belonging to the elder brother, a taunt from the kidnapper for Alex to come find them. Alex’s visions turn at once into nightmares. Images flash in his mind of an abandoned well and a terrified, lonely boy slowly dying at the bottom. The shed looms close by, holding a horrifying secret, a dark place Alex’s frightened mind refuses to go.

With the help of Scott Reid, Alex endeavors to control his visions and find the brutalized victims before death claims them. But the watch is ticking away and time’s running out.

Excerpt:

“Hey Alex…” Justin’s voice trailed off, and he put the coffee pot on the warmer and went over to him when the man didn’t respond. Scott joined them, leaving his computer on the table as he passed. Alex’s eyes were wide, unfocused as he stared out the window. His breath came quickly and sweat beaded his forehead.

“What do you see?” Scott asked, voice mild, placid.

“It’s hot here. Grass is dry.” Alex’s whispered words sent a shiver through Scott. He sounded…detached. “The forest is dark across the way. Crows circle above the trees.”

“Alex, where are you right now?” Scott made the question a demand.

A shudder ran Alex’s lean frame. “I’m in your office, Dr. Reid. I see the garden through the window. But I’m also here, in this empty field. Talk to me! I want to come away from here.”

Scott touched his hand. “Come home, Alex.”

“It’s hard. Something’s drawing me to the forest. God! I don’t want to go in there.”

“Jane would want you to come home,” Scott said firmly, using the ace up his sleeve. For a second he didn’t think even the deep love Alex had for his wife could draw him back, but then he blinked his eyes into focus, and gave Scott a slight smile.

“Thank you. That’s a terrible place.”

“Is it a real place, do you think?”

Alex’s expression turned bleak. “Yes,” he whispered.

Research: It's Actually Fun!

Did you know you can learn how to hypnotize someone online? It's true! In THE SHED my hero Scott needs to hypnotize Alex in order to understand the visions he's been having, maybe find clues to the kidnapper's identity. But what did I know about hypnosis except for the TV shows where they make people cluck like chickens?

It was fascinating to read about all the different methods that are used and pick the one that would work best with Alex's condition.

Have you ever heard the phrase 'The Devil's in the Details'? It's true! Whatever genre you're writing, it's those details that will trip you up if you're not careful. The reader will find the one flaw in your plot and not be shy about broadcasting it to all and sundry.

I was fortunate when writing my newest release THE SHED. It's the sequel to my psychological thriller novel ALEX. In ALEX there were a lot of police and rescue procedures I didn't know too much about. That's where the research came in. I was also extremely fortunate that my editor's husband was a member of the police force for twenty years and she could go over the details of a crime scene with me, or ask him if she wasn't sure about it.

I was able to use these same procedures when I wrote THE SHED. Again, there were crime scenes and official statements and several rescues, but these were also all new situations and had to be handled accordingly. My stories take place in Colorado and I needed to find out the laws pertaining to each situation and how they are handled.

Then there's the fact that my MC is a mental health specialist with a private practice and also works at a clinic where he sees several patients. You see how important research is! Knowing almost nothing about this medical field, I needed to find out what his education would be, roughly how old this would make him.

Good thing I enjoy research for its own sake! So many details to get right so my readers aren't pulled from a scene, thinking it's unbelievable. It's that whole 'suspending disbelief' quality we need to keep in our stories. If a reader is pulled out of a scene, even for a moment, by something he doesn't find plausible or simply knows is untrue, then we've lost them. Even if they finish the story, this scene is the one they'll remember and talk about. And we don't want that, do we?

So, whether you find research tedious or as exciting as I do—side note, I also write m/m erotic romance so much of my research is very exciting!—take the time to do it and get your scene right. Once you've lost a reader they are very hard to get back. But if they believe in you, you've won them over for life.

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!

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October 13: Full Moon Dreaming

October 13: Sharing Links and Wisdom
October 14: Unabridged Andra's
October 15: Louise Lyndon Blog
October 16: The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat - review
October 16: Wickedly Wanton Tales
October 17: SBM Book Obsession
October 20: Dawn's Reading Nook
October 21: Prism Book Alliance
October 22: Nephy's World - review
October 22: A. Literary Mafia
October 23: Undercover Book Reviews - review
October 23: BookSkater - review
October 24: Booklover Sue review

Author Bio and Links:

Dianne grew up in one of the older houses in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.

She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house while it pours rain outside, a fire crackles on the hearth inside, and a cup of hot coffee warms her hands which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Blog     |     Facebook     |     Twitter

Goodreads     |      Amazon Author Page

THE SHED Buy Links:

Amazon     |      Barnes and Noble     |     Solstice Publishing

Birthday Bash Day 17 - Dianne Hartsock

Our next guest has been on my blog the most out of any author. I’ve interviewed her, reviewed her books, and gotten to know her, and so when I decided to do the bash again, I just knew I had to have her stop by one more time to help celebrate. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Dianne Hartsock!

First off, I'd like to thank Emily for inviting me to her fabulous Birthday Bash. Happy Birthday Emily!

Thanks Dianne!

Birthdays have always been a fun time for me. I love the anticipation leading up to the big day, wondering what gifts my family and friends will come up with. Will we go to dinner or eat something special at home? Cake? Yes! But what flavor…

I do have to admit, though, that the birthdays I enjoyed as a kid are still some of my favorite memories. The house I grew up in had a back staircase leading off of the kitchen. It had a door so was the perfect place to hide when the cake was being made. It was supposed to be a great secret and we couldn't know what kind of cake it was until it was brought to the table, bright with candles.

But if we kept the door cracked just a bit and sat on the dark stairs, we could smell the cake being baked and guess at the flavor. And when the frosting was made, if I happened to peek out the door, my sister would let me lick the beaters.

I can't remember any of the Birthday dinners I ate, but when the table was cleared and I'm sitting there waiting… Mom would turn off the lights, I'd close my eyes, my family would sing the Birthday song, then Oh my! Heat and light from the candles flashed in the darkened room, presents littered the table in front of me. My heart would swell and I'd make a big wish and blow out the candles, and think that THIS is the best Birthday ever. And smile in anticipation of doing it all again next year.

To help Emily celebrate her Birthday I'd like to leave you with the link to several of my FREE READS. Help yourself! And I hope your Birthday is as enjoyable as mine always are. Thanks for celebrating with us!

My free stories are available here!

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/free-reads/dianne-hartsock-new-reads/

Off Sides

Luke Parsons has been denying who he is all his life despite his loneliness, to please his homophobic father. After all, he graduates in eighteen months and can love anyone he desires after that. But when Austin and Riley join his soccer team, the dark beauties quickly steal Luke’s heart and peace of mind. Suddenly, his father’s approval seems less important. Now Luke has to decide to keep his father’s goodwill or throw everything away on a chance at happiness.

Damon's Touch

Damon’s hunger gnaws at him. He needs to feed soon before desire overrides caution and he enters the village.

For Lacey, the sight of Damon drinking from his brother’s throat should repulse him. Instead, he’s oddly aroused. Damon is all his fantasies come true. Lovely and dangerous.

As Damon’s prisoner, Lacey’s love for his beautiful captor grows, but will love be enough to set them both free?

Author Bio:

Dianne is the author of m/m erotic romance, both contemporary and fantasy, the psychological thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. Oh, and a floral designer. If she can’t be writing, at least she has the chance to create with the beauty of flowers and bring a smile to someone’s face. Currently Dianne lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with her husband, and both her children have chosen to attend colleges close to home, for which she is forever thankful. You can find out more about Dianne here:

Blog     |     Facebook     |     Twitter

Goodreads     |      Amazon Author Page

The Dark Bokor VBT

Blurb:

When it comes to the dark weavings of hoodoo magic, only a few can survive.

It's started. Bodies have been found in the French Quarter, torn limb from limb. The undead have been seen walking. For Detective Matthew Rieves, this is the worst news he can imagine. Having spent his entire life in Orleans Parish, Matt's no stranger to the bizarre. Though, despite the growing evidence, he still has a hard time believing in the occult. But when two hoodoo bokors vie for supremacy, it's the innocent civilians that pay the price.

For Jesse Dalembert, he'd left New Orleans to sever his ties with hoodoo. But when a friend is brutally murdered by the bokor's zombies, he returns, falling at once into danger and into Detective Rieves's bed. With their lives on the line, their simmering attraction flares into a passion they can no longer deny.

Working against time, can the lovers find a way to stop the hoodoo war, or will they fall victim to the dark magic, maybe becoming zombies themselves?

Excerpt:

"Jesse."

The urgent note of warning in Matt's voice stopped him. His gaze jerked toward the detective in time to see him draw his gun just as a large man, skin darker than Jesse's own cream and chocolate complexion, shoved a screaming woman from his path and continued toward him. Blood dripped from the machete clutched in his fist. The Haitian drew closer, and Jesse shuddered at the blank stare of the creature.

"Run, fool!"

It was hard to ignore the fear in Matt's voice. Jesse held his ground, waited, rocked on the balls of his feet. Every instinct told him to flee, but instead he focused his thoughts on the man. He held up his hand when the dead man reached him and felt the power emanating from the creature, a puppet controlled by someone else. Pity stirred in his heart for the person trapped within the walls of the hoodoo curse.

He pitched his voice into a command, knowing it would be impossible to resist as it wound through the man's tortured mind. "Tell LaPierre I need to speak to her."

The loud crash of shattering glass startled him, broke their connection. With an animalistic roar, the zombie lifted his machete and rushed him. Jesse dodged under the swing of the dripping blade, and then the man's large body slammed into him, knocking him backward. A strong arm around his waist kept him from falling, and he looked with confusion into Matt's savage face.

"Get moving!"

Hi everyone, now please welcome back the wonderful Dianne Hartsock. This is the 4th time I’ve had her here on my blog, and I love having her. So, since I've already interviewed you Dianne, I decided to pick some new questions for you. Are you ready?

Wait! *sips water, takes a deep breath* Okay, go ahead.

Do you prefer ebooks or paperbacks?

This is always a tough question. If it's something by a favorite author, I definitely go for the paperback. Otherwise, I read the e-book first and then buy the paperback if I love it. I enjoy having books fill my shelves and I love the feel of a book in my hands. Old habits, I guess.

How do you come up with your covers? Do you design them yourself, or do you have a designer?

For all of my publishers, I fill out the Art Form with a brief description of the main characters, the story's blurb, and what I'd like to see on the cover, the 'feel' I'm going for. Then the cover artist takes over. I see the mock-up cover when it's done, give my opinion/suggestions, then they do the final copy.

What 5 words would you use to describe your main characters?

Intelligent, Loyal, Sexy, Brave, Good-Hearted

So, where are you on your writing list right now? Any new releases coming out, new projects in the works?

I don't have anything new coming out until this February, a couple of stories in several anthologies. In the meantime, I'm working furiously on the sequel to my psychological thriller novel, ALEX. I'd like to have it done by the end of the year. Then I have a story to write for Project Fierce, due middle of February. After that I have a Christmas story to begin along with two partial stories to finish up and send off. Keeping busy!

Alright, we are now entering the rapid fire round, so first thing to cross your mind. Ready...go!

Vampire or Werewolf (or other)?

Vampire! Though I find gargoyles extremely sexy too.

Ghosts, Real or Myth?

I like to believe that there are some things we can never explain away.

Twilight, Cool or Ick?

Oh Ick! Sorry.

For the inner foodie...Dark or Milk Chocolate?

Definitely dark, especially truffles. Yum…

Sit Down Dinner or Fast Food?

Sit down dinner, but fast food if we're on a road trip.

Eat In or Eat Out?

I love to eat out for breakfast or an occasional dinner.

Cook or Clean Up?

Cook! Dishes are my least favorite chore.

And now for the sexy...Handcuffs or Blindfolds?

Blindfolds. I'm really good at not touching when asked.

Leather or Lace?

How about leather over lace? I like the hidden surprises!

Kinky or Vanilla Sex?

Vanilla that occasionally wanders into kinky. I save the really kinky things for my characters.

Alright, that's all from me, it was great having you again Dianne!

Thanks so much for having me back! Always fun here.

My Review:
3.5 stars

This was a very interesting book, and a new and unique take on the classic zombie novel.

I loved all the new info I learned. Before I read this book, I knew very little about Creole and Haitian voodoo/hoodoo and I had no idea what a bokor was. I am now very well informed. The author did a lot of research, and it shows through in her writing. From very detailed (and at times highly disturbing) instructions on how to make a bokor (zombie), to the history of hoodoo, this wasn't just a romance book, it was a learning experience.

Now, here's where I'm conflicted. While I liked how the story starts right away, my biggest problem (also) was that you are quite literally thrown into the middle of the story. All of a sudden, zombies are attacking, people have died before the story even begins, and these two are already on the case. While I liked getting right to the nitty-gritty, I also felt confused about what was happening, why, etc. For example, Matthew and Jesse have a big backstory together that's mentioned and talked about, which explained why they pretty much hopped into bed right away. Yet, I would have liked to see the beginning of their relationship. I felt like I missed the prequel novel, though this is supposedly a stand-alone.

Another thing that bugged me was the open ending. I assume it was meant to be a HEA/HFN ending, and yet I was left with lots of questions. (SPOILER ALERT) For example, now that everyone's dead, what happens next? Do they really just leave and walk off into the sunset together? What happens if Jesse doesn't take charge? (END SPOILER)

All in all though, this was an interesting and enjoyable book, and I would love to see more of Matthew and Jesse (maybe a sequel answering my questions??). I would definitely recommend this book, as it is a different take on the classic zombie book, and it is an entertaining (if often times gruesome) read.

Dianne will be awarding a $10 All Romance E-Books gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

November 26: Books on Silver Wings

December 3: Sharing Links and Wisdom

December 10: Worlds of Possibilities

December 17: Unabridged Andra

December 31: Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons

January 7: Reviews Unleashed

January 14: Deal Sharing Aunt

January 14: Long and Short Reviews

January 21: Dalene's Book Reviews

Author Bio and Links:

Dianne is the author of m/m erotic romance, both contemporary and fantasy, the psychological thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. Oh, and a floral designer. If she can’t be writing, at least she has the chance to create with the beauty of flowers and bring a smile to someone’s face. Currently Dianne lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with her husband, and both her children have chosen to attend colleges close to home, for which she is forever thankful. You can find out more about Dianne here:

Blog     |     Facebook     |     Twitter

Goodreads     |     Amazon Author Page

Buy link:

Breathless Press