Craven Street Audiobook Out Now

Craven Street audiobooks out now! Immerse yourself in the fog-shrouded streets of 1880's London in this novella narrated by Melanie Mason and Anthony Bowling.

 

Listen Now

🎧 Look for this symbol ▶️ and listen to a free sample on Amazon, Audible, or SoundCloud. Happy listening!

The women of the Whitechapel Paranormal Society are on their own to face a sinister dark mastermind. Can they predict the killer's next move—a bloody, ritualistic murder that might tip the scales and give demons dominion over all of London—before he strikes again?


Craven Street by E.J. Stevens, narrated by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling.

"Craven Street is great for fans of the show Penny Dreadful, Carnival Row and other Historical Paranormal adventures."
—Leanna Renee Hieber, author of The Spectral City

If you are in the market for a fast-paced, paranormal mystery with strong women that is set in Victorian England (and really, who isn’t?) then this book is definitely for you."
—The Lesbian Review

"It made me feel as if Jack The Ripper was looking over my shoulder as I walked the streets…or should I say ran, because there be monsters here."
—Fundinmental Reviews

Genre: Historical Fantasy, Gaslamp Fantasy, Victorian Horror, Paranormal Mystery
Length: 2 hrs 17 min
Retailer Links: Audible | Audible UK | iTunes | Amazon
Author's Audible Page: E.J. Stevens on Audible
Free Audio Sample: SoundCloud
Series Website: WhitechapelParanormal.com
Audio Release Date: December 2, 2019

Learn more about our audiobooks at http://www.ejstevensauthor.com/p/audiobooks.html.

Grab a FREE Ivy Granger Short Story

Want a free book?  Right now, FROSTBITE is free on all ebook retailers. ZERO PENNIES.  Grab this freebie while it lasts!

Frostbite: An Ivy Granger Psychic Detective Prequel Short Story by E.J. Stevens.

Enter an award-winning urban fantasy world where monsters roam the streets and things aren't always what they seem.

When a client claims that her house is being haunted, Ivy tries to keep her mind open and her weapons handy. If her psychic gifts and recent cases have taught her anything, it's that you're better off arming yourself for the unexpected.

Will our favorite psychic detective face down murderous ghosts? Anything is possible in Harborsmouth.

Grab your free short story.

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iTunes

Add Audio

Amazon | Audible | iTunes

Want more Ivy Granger freebies? Don't miss the Freebies Page at www.EJStevensAuthor.com.

Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger Series) Now in Italian

Shadow Sight, the first novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, is now available in Italian!

Shadow Sight Italian Translation Vista d'Ombra

Vista d'Ombra (Ivy Granger, Detective Psichica #1) di E.J. Stevens, traduzione di Carmelo Massimo Tidona

Vincitore del PRG Reviewer's Choice Award come Miglior Romanzo Fantasy Paranormale e finalista come Migliore Serie Urban fantasy.

Benvenuti a Harborsmouth, dove i mostri camminano per le strade non visti dagli umani... a parte quelli con la seconda vista, come Ivy Granger.

Language: Italian
Genre: Paranormal Mystery, Supernatural Suspense, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Not only is this edition for Italian language readers, it's also perfect for anyone learning Italian.  Practice reading Italian with Ivy Granger's kick-butt paranormal adventures.

Grab your copy today!

Amazon: US | IT | UK | CA | AU | JP | DE | FR | ES | NL | BR | IN |
Kobo: US
Barnes & Noble: NOOK US
iTunes: US | IT | UK | CA | AU | JP | DE | FR | ES | NL | BR | MX |

Paperback editions coming soon!

Are you in Italy?  Love urban fantasy?   

I am planning at least one stop in Italy for my 2017 world tour!   

Right now, I am working on signing with my wonderful translator Carmelo Massimo Tidona at STARCON in Bellaria, Italy (near Ravenna).  Please send me your recommendations for fantasy conventions, speculative fiction conventions, and cafe signing venues below in the comments, or email me.  I will post my final schedule of European tour dates here on the blog and in my monthly newsletter. 

Q+A with Brian Bandell (Mute)

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Brian Bandell!  Brian is the author of MUTE.

Q+A with Brian Bandell

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Brian:  I filled my notebook in sixth grade with a sword and sorcery story. My first serious attempt to write a novel started my junior year at the University of Miami as I sat on the shores of Lake Osceola listening to Radiohead on my headphones. My first book deal came four novels later but the joy of creating a story that I could escape with kept me writing for years and persisting in the face of rejections until I found my touch. I still listen to music during most of my writing.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Brian:  My novel Mute is a blend between murder mystery, science fiction and paranormal. I love incorporating the unworldly into my stories and, in this case, I do it through an environment that people have been abusing that fights back. Sea turtles, dolphins, gators, manatees, all of them become deadly for those who approach the Indian River Lagoon.

I enjoy reading books by Stephen King and Dean Koontz, two authors who also incorporate scifi and paranormal. The key question in all such stories is how the characters react to situations that seem unbelievable and force them to make difficult choices. In my novel Mute, Officer Moni Williams must choose between protecting a mute girl who saw her parents murdered and getting the child to reveal information that could help them catch the unconventional killer.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Brian:  To jump inside someone's head and know what they're feeling. Not just their thoughts, but their emotions and their body. We see so much joy, pain, amazing athletics displays, those who are feeble and fragile - what does that feel like?

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Brian:  It keeps them guessing until the end as I rip through the story at a fast pace. One of my favorite things is hearing all the different reactions from readers. Some cried at the plight of the speechless girl. Some were terrified of going near the water. Nearly everyone was shocked by the ending.

I don't want to stick to a safe formula. This novel is a thrill ride.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Brian:  Jasika Nicole (who played Astrid on Fringe) would be the lead as Moni. She has the right mix of sensitivity and toughness as a cop. I can see her being conflicted over how to care for the girl.

The girl Mariella would be played by Brighton Sharbino (Lizzie from Walking Dead). She did an amazing job as a stone-cold, psychotic kid. The part of Mariella has sympathy on the outside, with an undercurrent of fear and mystery.

Mute by Brian Bandell.

Officer Monique “Moni” Williams, has never lived an easy life—with an abusive ex-con father, a two-timing, pistol-wielding ex-boyfriend and a racist boss—it’s hard to see how things could possibly get more difficult for her. After she meets a child that she bonds with, but Moni must protect the girl from a mysterious threat stalking everyone near the Indian River Lagoon.

A serial killer is on the loose on Florida’s Space Coast, and Moni has been put in charge of the key witness in the biggest case of her life: an eight-year-old girl called Mariella. The child has gone mute after losing both her parents one harrowing night. Now, Moni struggles to protect the child and break her silence, while more reports of inexplicable deaths and animals with eerie purple eyes pile up. Her bond with the child is tested by a police force demanding answers. What does the lagoon’s rotten stench have to do with a mute little girl? Can Moni save Mariella from what lurks along the water? Who is really facing the most danger? Find out in this suspenseful, page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction, Mystery
Add to Goodreads.

Thank you Brian for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Brian Bandell and his books, please visit his website.

Brush with Death Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Tanya1224, Nezu, and Diletta Dike Brizzi winners of our Brush with Death Release Party Giveaway at From the Shadows!  

Tanya will receive a signed trade paperback copy of Brush with Death by E.J. Stevens, Spirit Guide series trading cards, and a signed Brush with Death postcard.

Nezu and Diletta will receive an ebook copy of Brush with Death and signed Brush with Death postcard.

Thank you to all who entered!

**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org**

Q+A with Nina Post (One Ghost Per Serving)

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Nina Post.  Nina is the author of The Last Donut Shop of the Apocalypse, The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse, and One Ghost Per Serving.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Nina:  I began writing when I was seven, when I wrote little stories (probably about ghosts and monsters) for my parents. By the time I was fourteen, I had decided that I wanted to be a writer, but sometimes these things get away from us. I didn't really focus on writing until 2011, which was when I started The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse. My husband encouraged me to submit it, and it turned out that several publishers were interested. I encourage any writer to prioritize their writing and focus on it. Determine what's important to you, ignore any external influences that try to discourage you, and work on it consistently.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Nina:   I've always loved books and movies in that genre, and was especially influenced by movies like Ghostbusters in writing my debut novel, The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse. At the time, I lived in a frequently odd high-rise condo tower, filled with residents and employees who were by turns annoying, grotesque, or endearing. I imagined this setting with fallen angels bound to the building and monsters who got sucked into the city through the building's unusual HVAC system.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Nina:  Invisibility, like Rex in 'Ghost'! To be sneaky and gather information.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Nina:  My second published book, One Ghost Per Serving, is a fun story about a self-doubting father who embarks on a quest to win a seemingly impossible contest, and discovers he's the only one who can stop a supernatural pathogen from spreading throughout the food supply.

I think that readers will enjoy reading about Eric struggling to overcome his flaw of not believing in himself, to regain the respect of his wife and his acerbic twelve-year-old daughter, and to win this yogurt contest despite the best efforts of a pathologically self-absorbed rich guy. I think they'll also like Eric's daughter, Taffy -- an aspiring scientist who does not suffer fools and is obsessed with zoonotic diseases and foodborne pathogens. And I hope they like my spirit support group, inspired by Japanese yokai.

I think readers will also enjoy it because even though there are paranormal elements, you'll also be asking yourself, could this happen? How far away from reality is this, really?

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Nina:  I would want to cast Ian Somerhalder as Eric Snackerge, because he quickly came to mind when I began fleshing out the character. And I would cast Amy Sedaris as Willa, because she's amazing and physically similar to the petite, bellicose HVAC professor in my book.

One Ghost Per Serving by Nina Post.

Eric Snackerge has had a rough time lately. After being possessed by a mischievous spirit, he lost his scholarship and got blamed for a scandal that left him blacklisted from the legal profession. Now he’s working two minimum wage jobs and is desperate to show his wife and daughter that he can put his life back together — before his best-friend-turned-enemy swoops in and steals his family away.

When Eric learns about an unusual contest, he realizes that winning the grand prize will help him make his daughter’s dreams come true. But he’ll have to overcome his own self-doubt — not to mention the seemingly impossible odds — in order to achieve that goal.

However, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill sweepstakes. Everyone who eats the product develops an insatiable craving for more. Plus, the people behind the contest are dispatching everything from spy cameras to attack helicopters to make sure that Eric doesn’t get any further.

As Eric soon learns, the contest was only the first phase of a much larger plan. If the villains are successful, they will spread a dangerous supernatural pathogen throughout the food supply. But with distribution of the tainted products already underway, does Eric have what it takes to stop their plan and protect his family from being the next victims?

Thank you Nina for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Nina Post and her books, please visit her website.

Brush With Death Release Party + Giveaway

Today is the official release of Brush with Death, the fourth book in the Spirit Guide young adult series by E.J. Stevens.  Time to PARTY!

Keep reading for a chance to win Brush with Death by E.J. Stevens.

Brush with Death (Spirit Guide #4) by E.J. Stevens.

Samhain was scary, but graduation is downright terrifying.

Yuki and Emma's recent brush with death has unexpected consequences.

Until last winter Yuki could only smell the dead, but the touch of death's embrace has awakened latent powers. With the help of her friends, Yuki must face her new abilities. Will her psychic powers become the curse they all have feared? Curse or gift, Yuki's new vision begins leading her down an unknown path, but is it a road that only she can follow?

Emma's close encounter of the death kind has her questioning her future as well. Until now she had it all; brains, beauty, conviction, fabulous friends, and a scholarship to Tufts Veterinary School. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Emma had a plan for everything, but she never bargained for her own traitorous emotions. When graduation comes, will Emma follow her dreams...or follow her heart?

Add to Goodreads

 **Brush with Death Giveaway**

We are giving away a signed trade paperback copy of Brush with Death by E.J. Stevens, Spirit Guide series trading cards, and a signed Brush with Death postcard to ONE lucky winner and an ebook copy of Brush with Death and signed Brush with Death postcard to TWO lucky winners.  Three winners total!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post (include your email address so we may contact you if you win).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends November 6, 2012 midnight EST.

Looking for more ways to win?  Don't miss our Brush with Death Twitter Party.  We'll be celebrating and giving away Brush with Death books and swag all day October 23rd.

Brush with Death now available in trade paperback and ebook editions at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine retailers.

Amazon / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble 

Cover Reveal: Brush with Death

Time for a cover reveal!  Feast your eyes on the cover for Brush with Death, the fourth book in the young adult paranormal Spirit Guide series.

Brush with Death (Spirit Guide #4) by E.J. Stevens.

Samhain was scary, but graduation is downright terrifying.

Yuki and Emma's recent brush with death has unexpected consequences.

Until last winter Yuki could only smell the dead, but the touch of death's embrace has awakened latent powers. With the help of her friends, Yuki must face her new abilities. Will her psychic powers become the curse they all have feared? Curse or gift, Yuki's new vision begins leading her down an unknown path, but is it a road that only she can follow?

Emma's close encounter of the death kind has her questioning her future as well. Until now she had it all; brains, beauty, conviction, fabulous friends, and a scholarship to Tufts Veterinary School. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Emma had a plan for everything, but she never bargained for her own traitorous emotions. When graduation comes, will Emma follow her dreams...or follow her heart?

Brush with Death available in trade paperback and ebook October 23, 2012.

Add Brush with Death to your Goodreads TBR list

Spirit Storm Giveaway Winner

Congrats KtTurner winner of our Spirit Storm Book Birthday Giveaway at From the Shadows!  KtTurner will receive her choice of ebook or print copy of Spirit Storm by E.J. Stevens.

Thank you to all who entered!

**All giveaway winners selected using Random.org**

Ivy Granger Psychic Detective Agency

Happy 2012 everyone! It is Urban Fantasy Month at From the Shadows and I have something to reveal from my upcoming urban fantasy series.

I've been dying to share this new graphic logo for 'Private Eye' the psychic detective agency featured in my new Ivy Granger series.

*squeee!* Isn't it cool?  Look for 'Private Eye' stickers and other fun Ivy Granger series swag later this year!

Shadow Sight, the first book in the Ivy Granger series, to release in 2012.

Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger #1) by E.J. Stevens

Some things are best left unseen...

Ivy Granger's second sight is finally giving her life purpose. Ivy and her best friend Jinx may not be raking in the dough, but their psychic detective agency pays the bills--most of the time. Their only worry is the boredom of a slow day and the occasional crazy client--until a demon walks through their door.

Demons are never a good sign...

A demon attorney representing the water fey? Stranger things have happened. And things are about to get very, very strange as a bloodthirsty nightmare hunts the city of Harborsmouth.

There's blood in the water...

Kelpies have a reputation for eating humans. Unfortunately, Kelpies are the clients. When an Unseelie Fey this evil stalks the waterways of your city, you have to make hard choices.

The lesser of two evils...

Legend of Witchtrot Road Release Party + Giveaways

Time to PARTY!  Today is the official US Release of Legend of Witchtrot Road, the third book in the Spirit Guide series.

Are you EXCITED?  You should be!  We have some fabulous Spirit Guide Series book and swag giveaways here at From the Shadows, Goodreads, and on Twitter.  So many chances to win!

Check out Legend of Witchtrot Road Release Party Central to keep track of events and giveaways.

The BOOK...

Legend of Witchtrot Road (Spirit Guide #3) by E.J. Stevens

The night of Samhain may be behind them, but Yuki and her friends have only begun to face the challenges of their paranormal gifts. Tensions are rising--in the pack, at school, and within their tightly knit group of friends.

The tragic death of Wakefield High student Dylan Jacobs has emotions boiling over. The J-Team, Yuki's arch nemesis, have turned the entire football team against her. They claim that Yuki is a witch and blame her for the death of their fellow teammate. Will Yuki be able to solve the mystery of Dylan's death, and the legend of Witchtrot Road, before tempers flare and things turn violent?

Surviving agitated ghosts, irritated witches, angry werewolves, and the horrors of high school has never been so hard.


The GIVEAWAYS...

GRAND PRIZE (1 Winner):

3 Books: Signed copies of She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, and Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Tote Bag stuffed with goodies (see below)
1 "I Smell Dead People" T-shirt (Size XL)
3 Postcards (She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, Legend of Witchtrot Road)
2 Bookmarks (She Smells the Dead and Legend of Witchtrot Road)
10 Spirit Guide Series Trading Cards
1 Oversize Legend of Witchtrot Road Postcard
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Sticker
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Poster

FIRST PRIZE (3 Winners):

1 Signed trade paperback copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Series Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Trading Cards)
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Sticker)

SECOND PRIZE (3 Winners):

1 Ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Series Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Trading Cards)
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Sticker)

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win). You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends October 7th midnight EST.

and MORE GIVEAWAYS...

Don't miss our LEGEND OF WITCHTROT ROAD BOOK BIRTHDAY TWITTER PARTY happening ALL DAY on Twitter.  More fab prizes all day long!

Also giving away one signed copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road on Goodreads.

Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J. Stevens now available in Trade Paperback on Amazon and Ebook editions on Amazon (Kindle), Amazon.UK (Kindle), Smashwords (PDF/Epub/Kindle/NOOK/and more), and Barnes and Noble (NOOK).

Paranormal Guest Author: Shawn Thomas Odyssey

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Shawn Thomas Odyssey!  Shawn is the author of The Wizard of Dark Street.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Shawn:  I had a fantastic English teacher my freshman and sophomore year in high school who I looked up to immensely. I remember he had written a novel, and I just thought that was the coolest thing, so I decided that I would write one, too. I finished writing it (I think I was doing my best imitation of Douglas Adams at the time) over the Christmas break my sophomore year and gave it to him to read. He was very kind to read the entire thing (at least he said he did), and then he told me I should read Tom Robbins because he thought I had a similar thing going on, with a sort of sci-fi bent. I didn’t know if that was good or bad. But he was very encouraging! Oh yeah, and he also told me to work on my spelling.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Shawn:  I’m pretty consistently drawn to elements of magic. I love the idea that there is more to the world than meets the eye…much, much more. I love the transformative powers of magic, its endless possibilities that cause us to step outside of our little box of how we think things work, and see that very often what we take as absolute reality is very often only the illusion of our own perception, our thinking mind. In THE WIZARD OF DARK STREET, the concepts of magic (or supernatural, or intuitive forces) vs. our logical and rational thinking come very prominently into to play for the main character, twelve year old Oona Crate.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Shawn:  I think it would be the power to let go of indecision and internal conflict with the snap of my fingers. To be one hundred percent present and alert, and to choose my mood and state of consciousness—any state, including the ones I don’t even know about yet—at will. That’s a bit out there, I know, and it might not even be supernatural, but it sounds cool to me. Then again, it would also be pretty nifty to be able to fly! How fantastic would that be?

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Shawn:  It has something in it for just about everyone (bet you never heard that one before). If you like books that have magic in it, and that are set in a fantastical Victorian setting, then there’s something for you. If you like classic whodunits and murder mysteries, then there’s something for you. If you like oddball characters, and quirky riddles, and off the wall adventures into unknown and unexpected places, there’s something for you. If you like a heroine who is searching for something more than the life she has been handed, who must learn to trust herself, despite her past mistakes and deep sense of loss, then there’s something for you. If you like talking ravens, then there is something for you. If you like bumbling police inspectors, tattoo faced boys, venomous girls, witches, wizards, and bizarre faerie servants, then there is something for you. And of course, if you like to laugh at the absurdity of an unpredictable world, then there is something for you.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Shawn:  Off the top of my head, for the role of Oona, I would have to say Maisie Williams, who is presently playing the role of Arya Stark in the HBO version of A Game of Thrones. She certainly looks the part!

The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

Oona Crate was born to be the Wizard's apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind.

Despite possessing the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case, she is determined to prove that logic can be just as powerful as wizardry. But when someone attacks her uncle--the Wizard of Dark Street--Oona is forced to delve even deeper into the world of magic.

Full of odd characters, evil henchmen, and a street where nothing is normal, The Wizard of Dark Street will have you guessing until the very end.


Thank you Shawn for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Shawn Thomas Odyssey and his books, please visit his website, blog, or the (very cool) official Wizard of Dark Street website (I highly recommend checking out the "video" tab for some extremely entertaining viewing!).

BlogFest 2011 Giveaway

Happy BlogFest 2011!  Here at From the Shadows we are giving away a paperback copy of She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens to one lucky winner.  This giveaway is international (to everywhere the Book Depository ships).

She Smells the Dead (Spirit Guide, #1) by E.J. Stevens

It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and annoying Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

She Smells the Dead is the first book in the YA paranormal Spirit Guide series.  She Smells the Dead has received over one hundred 4 and 5-star reviews from book bloggers and is on Amazon's list of 100 Top Rated Books with Ghosts. To learn more about this series, please visit the Spirit Guide series official website here.

*****

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter, but followers will receive a bonus entry (see below).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL (to everywhere the Book Depository ships).  Giveaway ends July 17th midnight EST.

Bonus entry:
+1 Blog Followers (old + new)

Visit A Journey of Books for a list of participating BlogFest 2011 blogs and a chance to win more fab prizes!

From the Shadows was participant #60.  Here are the next five BlogFest stops...
61 From the TBR Pile
62 Girls Just Reading
63 Good choice reading
64 Hannah Downing
65 Happy Mom Of 5

Legend of Witchtrot Road: Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek from Legend of Witchtrot Road, the third book in the Spirit Guide series by E.J. Stevens.

Legend of Witchtrot Road...

     I heard the harsh, grinding creak of a ship’s hull straining against stormy seas just as I felt the vertiginous tilt and roll of the waves beneath me.  I considered letting the motion lull me back to sleep, but one thought kept creeping in to ruin my slumber.   I wasn’t on a boat.

     With a jolt I tried to leap upright, but up was down and down was up, causing a searing pain to shoot through my shoulder as I dangled from the car safety belt.  I needed to get a look around, but turning my head didn’t seem like an easy option.  My neck was stiff, like the time I fell asleep with wet hair, and my head was pounding a rhythm that matched the vampire bats gnawing in my stomach.  Come on Yuki, you can do this.

     Reaching up to grab the safety belt, I steadied myself and drew in a deep shuddering breath.  It did nothing to calm my racing heartbeat, but the pain in my head momentarily lessened.  Forcing my eyes to stay open, I turned them to my right and flinched.  A ghostly pale face stared back at me and it took a moment for my sluggish brain to realize that the spectral form was only my reflection looking back at me.  I examined the sickly face suspended in the darkness and knew one thing for sure.  I looked like hell.

     For a moment I closed my eyes and gathered another steadying breath, remembering to breathe in the way I’d been taught during the numerous yoga classes that Cal had dragged me to over the years.   Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of why I was hanging upside down from a car safety belt, I pulled my eyes to the left.  A golden amorphous shape hung glowing beside me and I nearly jumped when it moaned.

     “Emma?” I asked.  My voice was dry and raspy and started a series of painful coughs that nearly made me pass out again.

     Emma didn’t answer me, but with a rush of memory I knew that it was my friend beside me.  Emma’s blond hair cascaded past her face to dangle above the glowing instrument panel.  Pale skin, golden hair, and white blouse sleeve were marred only by a dark stream that trickled from her scalp along her arm to drip slowly, tap tap tap, off her fingers onto the windshield.

     How did we get here?  It had to be the curse.  I clenched my fist in frustration as my eyes filled with tears.  We had known better.  Emma with her research and me with my psychic gift to sense the dead; we knew the risks of messing with the curse, but that hadn’t stopped us.  Our curiosity had won out over common sense and now we were paying the price.  Son of a dung beetle.  I just hoped we survived long enough to benefit from the lesson learned.  Never mess with a curse and never, ever travel on Witchtrot Road.

Don't miss these books in the Spirit Guide series:

She Smells the Dead (Spirit Guide #1) print, kindle, nook, other ebook formats, and internationally at The Book Depository.
Spirit Storm (Spirit Guide #2) print, kindle, nook, other ebook formats.

copyright 2011

Book Review: Night of the Loving Dead

Night of the Loving Dead (Pepper Martin, book 4) by Casey Daniels.

Introducing sleuth Pepper Martin...And now, in her fourth hip, quirky mystery, she's all ours.  Pepper Martin, heiress-turned-cemetery- tour-guide, often has her hands full with two hotties and the ghosts who won't let her rest or work, or shop in peace.  Now the specter of a young woman in a lab coat wants Pepper's help. Before the woman died, she worked with a sexy, mysterious doctor who coincidentally once saved Pepper's life and who the woman claims is now in danger. But Pepper doesn't know that there's more to the story, including a devious doctor and an obsessive, crazy love.


Looking for a fashion-conscious detective to the dead?  Pepper Martin is a fun, spunky character with a penchant for getting in way over her curly red tresses.  Night of the Loving Dead is the fourth book in the Pepper Martin series, a book I grabbed from the bargain bin, and it was such a fun read that I'll be going back to check out the other books in this series.  Pepper can speak with the dead and uses her gift to solve mysteries for the ghosts she encounters.  Since she's not dead herself, she tends to get a bit distracted by the hot men she attracts with her good looks and unique style.  Who said you can't wear stiletto boots and a mini skirt to a cemetery...during a snowstorm?  A lighthearted blend of mystery, supernatural suspense, and paranormal romance.

I recommend Night of the Loving Dead (Pepper Martin, book 4) to readers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, paranormal suspense, and especially to fans of paranormal mysteries.  Night of the Loving Dead may appeal to fans of the Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine and the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance.

Sensitive reader warning: mild violence, sexual situations.

Source: This book was purchased by E.J. for review.

Night of the Loving Dead on Amazon.
Night of the Loving Dead on Goodreads.

Guest Author Interview: Lisa Papademetriou

Please welcome today's guest author Lisa Papademetriou!  Lisa is the author of Sixth-Grade Glommers, Norks, and Me, the Accidentally Series, The Wizard, the Witch, and Two Girls from Jersey, How to Be a Girly Girl in Just Ten Days, Drop, Chasing Normal, M or F?, and coming in August Siren's Storm.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Lisa:   It’s funny--when I give talks on writing at schools, I always ask, “Who here is a writer?” and, generally, almost everyone raises a hand. Even as a kid, I saw myself as a writer, and I think that even if I didn’t earn a living putting words on a page, I would still see myself as a writer. So, in that way, I guess I started writing the minute I learned the alphabet. It’s still amazing to me that so many stories and concepts, so many thoughts about the world and life, can be expressed with only 26 letters.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Lisa:   I’ve always loved fantasy--I used to sit in my room and draw maps of fantasy worlds, and come up with characters to inhabit them. I read fantasy nonstop: LeGuin, Lewis, Tolkien, Cooper, Alexander, L’ Engle. I always thought I would grow up to write high fantasy. A few years ago, I published my first fantasy novel, a parody called The Wizard, the Witch, and Two Girls from Jersey, which was an homage to some of my favorite books and authors. Siren’s Storm was born out of a dream I had, in which I saw a group of children treading water in a river, singing. Every now and again, one of the children would put a face in the water, and then look back up at me, and it slowly dawned on me that the children were waiting for something...something monstrous. I woke up and knew I had the beginning of a new story.

EJ:  If you could have any paranormal or supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Lisa:  Actually, I would despise having a paranormal or supernatural talent. It seems like a horrible responsibility, a frightening and lonely experience. I’m currently working on a sequel to Siren’s Storm, and a lot of the story is about that.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Lisa:   Siren’s Storm is a thriller, with both romance and action, but it also has a lot of humor. I hope readers love the characters as much as I do!

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? Why?

Lisa:  I’d cast Emile Hirsch as Will. He’s able to portray the right kind of brooding vulnerability that I think Will needs. Emma Stone--if she had black hair--has the right look for Asia, although I’ve never seen her do anything that wasn’t a comedy. I’d like to see Gretchen played by someone like Emma Roberts. She’s a natural beauty in that girl-next-door way.

Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou.

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.  Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.  Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?


Thank you Lisa for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Lisa and her books, please visit her website.

Yes Annabelle: There are such things as Vampires

Looking for a paranormal young adult series for middle-grade readers?  My new middle-grade paranormal series, Raven's Gate Manor, will be making it's debut later this year!

The first book in the series, Yes Annabelle: There are such things as Vampires, is a fun-filled tale of mystery, family secrets, and things that go bump in the night.

Yes Annabelle:  There are such things as Vampires (Raven's Gate Manor, #1) by E.J. Stevens

Join young Annabelle on this middle-grade adventure as she begins to unlock the secrets of Raven's Gate Manor.

Yes Annabelle on Goodreads.