Books That Go Bump in the Night

What is our fascination with ghosts? We both fear them and also secretly hope our loved ones become one. I suppose the fear of death drives our obsession. We hate the idea of leaving this world behind after death, but we also fear those who haven’t “moved on.”

And of course, now that I’ve noticed ghosts, I seem to be seeing ghosts all around me – at least in fiction.

I have recently found myself reading a series of ghost books. There was the YA,  Lockwood & Co, and a milder, younger version of a ghost mystery, Constable & Toop. And then if that wasn’t enough, I read the thirteen stories of Spirited.

Spirited represents a wide variety of ghost stories, from those that border on horror, to those that are sweet. I liked that there were stories that could be considered contemporary, stories that could be fantasies, and everything in between.

Most ghost stories can be roughly divided into two types: those with “good” (non-threatening) ghosts and those with “bad” (threatening) ones. Of course there are works that fall in between where the threatening ghost is the good one. Anna Dressed in Blood brings that particular type of ghost into play. What’s nice is to find an anthology where all of these different types of ghost stories read smoothly together. Personally, I think an anthology where all the stories are about one type of ghost could be a fairly dull read. I like books like Spirited that mix things up.

If you are like me, then I must warn you that Spirited isn’t the kind of book to read just before bed. Threatening or not, ghost stories are still ghost stories and are best read on a beautiful, sunny day. At noon. When there are clearly no ghosts around.

ABOUT THE BLOGGER

Madeline Smoot is the publisher of Children's Brains Are Yummy Books, a micro publisher of fantasy and science fiction for children and teens.

Spirited Authors Featured on TBR

TBR, the website that introduces new authors to avid readers is doing a monthly feature on the Spirited authors. You can check out the feature here.

Learn about the authors, read an excerpt, and see the trailer.

PRAISE from Bookshelf Confessions:


"I love the cover. There’s the feel of something eerie in it. Plus it was lovely in a way that it really speaks of what’s inside the anthology.

"Praise for Kat O’Shea, the editor. The lay-outing was superb. I love the fonts, the designs. The whole book was well-thought out."

To pick up your print copy, head to the Leap bookstore.
Ebooks available here.


And watch for more October specials!!

All proceeds from Spirited will benefit charity. 

Screenwriting Winner

Congratulations to Leap Books author, Judith Graves, who just took first place in the 2012 Alberta Screenwriters Initiative for Losing It. Here's what the jury said about her award-winning manuscript:

“Losing It is a refreshing story with a distinctive writing style that avoids the pitfalls and expected patterns of most teen comedies, to be fresh, quirky and unique in story structure, characters and writing style. The characters are memorable are well-developed and the situations manage to be both comic and affecting.”

Graves, who wrote the screenplay under her real name, Tracy Belsher, is now headed to Banff Media Festival in June to pitch her works to TV and movie execs.

Her books with Leap include Under My Skin and Second Skin, in the Skinned series, and a story in the anthology Spirited. You can follow her journey to the festival and find out more about her writing journey on her blog, Flex Your Words.

Support Literacy

Three Leap Books authors are raising money to help young authors. Judith Graves, Dawn Dalton, and Halli Dee Lilburn are donating their profits from the sale of the anthology, Spirited, to Alberta Wordsmith Writing Camp. Sponsored by the Writers Guild of Alberta, this week-long event allows student writers to work with published authors.

You're Invited to a Gothic Tea Party

What are you doing on Friday the 13th? Want to have a hauntingly good time?

Join author Judith Graves at Beantrees Coffee House in Cold Lake, Alberta, for a Gothic tea party to celebrate the launch of her books:

Don't forget to dress in costume!!

Fortune Cookies, Cherry Coke, and Proms

What do fortune cookies, Cherry Coke, and proms have in common? Read on to find out. Leap Books (LB) interviewed author Kitty Keswick (KK), who has something to say on all three subjects. She even throws in some chocolate cake and a free story for her blog readers.Not to mention a chance to win a free copy of the Spirited anthology.

LB: What was your most embarrassing moment?

KK: Which one do you know about? Wouldn’t want it getting out...can we make a deal? How does chocolate cake sound?

LB: What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self?

KK: Don’t give up your dreams for anyone. Fortune cookies with Cherry Coke is not a major food group. And lay off the midnight college pizza parties.  Your metabolism will slow down, trust me on this one. :-)

LB: What super power do you wish you had?

KK: Like, I don’t already have enough? Oh, you weren’t supposed to know that…errr, secret identity and all. (Ix-nay-on-the-super-powers-nay.) Hmm, super power, super power. Well, a photographic memory would be nice. My memory is sorta bad of late. Teleportation, because I love to travel and who wouldn’t want to go to Europe in the blink of an eye. (Ah, British accents are drool worthy, truly.) And to see future danger…only if I could avoid it or change it. Because just knowing the future without being to change it would really stink. Oh and invisibility, because you never know when you might need it. I am not asking too much, am I? So when can I expect my super powers? Seven to ten business days?? How will they be delivered? Can I request Thor from the Avengers?

LB: What’s hiding in your closet?

KK: I hope nothing deadly…I don’t have any silver spikes. It’s pretty packed. So if there was a monster lurking in there, it was probably crushed by the weight of my clothes and shoes.

LB: Have you ever climbed into or out of a window?

KK: Yes, on several occasions. Not sure what that says about me…lol. I used to climb out the bathroom window and sit on the roof above the sunroom and watch nature. I also had to use a ladder to get into that same house through a second story window, because I was locked out. I’ve also jumped fences, too. Some pretty big ones…into some very intriguing places. I will let your mind wander because I am not telling where. I am full of interesting secrets. :-)

LB: Who would you cast to play your life in a movie?

KK: Sarah Rue, because people say she looks like me. She’s also quirky like me and a talented actress.

LB: What is something most people don't know about you?

KK: That I have a twisted sense of humor. Really. I am not kidding.  You would never have guessed, huh?

LB: What's one question you wish interviewers would ask?

KK: Not a clue…I get some pretty strange and bizarre questions; nothing seems to be off limits with me. TMI? Eh, maybe.
----
Kitty Keswick's story in the Leap Book anthology Spirited is "Death Becomes Her." If you have any other questions for our featured author, be sure to leave them on the blog or ask them on the Spirited Facebook page. Each question or comment earns you a contest entry (see below).

About the Story, "Death Becomes Her"

Willow Martin’s life is a fairytale. Only problem is she's Cinderella before Prince Charming shows up. She has a real life evil stepmonster and stepsister, who take great pleasure in making sure Willow's story is a nightmare. As her dance draws nearer, a dress and a haunting spirit forever change her story. Will it be a Happily Ever After?

For a free paranormal prom story by Kitty Keswick, click on this title: My Prom Date's a Vampire.

About the Author

Kitty Keswick grew up on her grandfather's California vineyard, where her imagination was her best friend. At a very tender age, she started writing her stories and reading them to the grapes. Kitty has been an Anglophile since age four when she saw Robin Hood and fell head over heels in love. Robin Hood inspired the hero of her first book, Freaksville, part of a trilogy that includes Furry and Freaked and Freaked No More. Kitty lives with a bossy tabby cat and maybe even a few ghosts. She spends her days with werewolves, Valkyries, vamps and other creatures that go bump in the night. Kitty is also the proud owner of an Indie bookstore in Peru, Indiana. Visit her at her website or her blog.

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about the Spirited authors, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for each author for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

And for a limited time get the Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On sale for $.99

Until April 8, 2012

Do Phantoms and Proms Mix?

Linda Joy Singleton's story in the Leap Book anthology Spirited is "Phantom of the Prom." We've asked her to answer a few questions for us. If you have any other questions for any of our featured authors, be sure to leave them on the blog or ask them on the Spirited Facebook page. Each question or comment earns you a contest entry (see below).

What was your most embarrassing moment? 
 
At one of the first writing talks I ever gave for #SCBWI, I didn't realize until I got to the conference that I had two different white shoes on. I was panicked, afraid everyone would notice once I stood in front of the audience. So while listening to other speakers, I made a list of things I could do, including going barefoot, sneaking out during lunch to a nearby mall to buy new shoes, or just announcing it was "mismatched shoes" day and how come I was the only one cool enough to wear two different shoes? When it came time to speak, I admitted my error, then read off my list -- and everyone laughed. It turned into one my best talks ever. 
 
What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self?  

Not to be so insecure and needy when it came to relationships, also to take more time for education instead of jumping into marriage-work-life. But mostly I'd just tell myself to believe in myself and trust all my intuition, and that things that seemed impossible (like a happy marriage, great kids, living in the country, selling my writing) would come true.

What's one question you wish interviewers would ask?

Since SPIRITED is an anthology, it might be nice to share that I was 14 years old when I submitted my first short stories to a magazine. I didn't have any writing classes so my father, who was a little interested in writing himself, took a writing class at a local college. He came home with information on how to submit professionally and taught me about double spacing, salutations, etc. I never sold any of these stories but still have a very encouraging rejection letter which I have shown to kids when I speak at schools. The rejection made me feel like a real writer.

About the Story

Psychic Sabine Rose from THE SEER series has solved mysteries of tragic ghosts, toxic spirits and malevolent magicians. But now she’s faced with new challenges—convincing her boyfriend Dominic to take her to the prom and banishing an angry ghost from a castle. With the help of good friends and her spirit guide, Opal, she enters a creepy castle in search of answers—and the ghost of a killer.

About the Author

Linda Joy Singleton is the author of more than thirty-five books, including THE SEER series, DEAD GIRL trilogy, and BURIED: Goth Girl Mystery. Free short stories, a contest, book excerpts, and writing advice, can be found at her website. Click here for a story, The Dark Lifer's Revenge: A Short Story, by Linda Joy. It's free for a short time.*

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about Linda Joy, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for each author for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

* Click on the title for another free story, this one by Kitty Keswick, My Prom Date's a Vampire.

And for a limited time get the Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On sale for $.99

Until April 8, 2012

Have You Ever Climbed Out a Window?

Author Mark Finnemore has. Wonder why? So do we...

Leap Books has asked Mark to answer a few questions for us. If you have any other questions for Mark, be sure to leave them on the blog or ask them on the Spirited Facebook page. Each question or comment earns you a contest entry (see below).

Mark's story in the Spirited anthology is "Stained." But he is also the author of several free reads at Mythic Picnic. If you'd like to read more of his work, hop on over to the site and enjoy a variety of stories. We caught Mark as he was hard at work on his next novel, Straw Man, which is an intriguing read with the tag line: "What if Robin Hood worked at the IRS?" You can read the blurb at Love & Taxes. Mark was so busy he only had time to answer a few questions, leaving lots of mystery in his wake, but he did give us a link to some sage advice, so be sure to check it out.

So, Mark, have you ever climbed into or out of a window?

I have, but I don't want to give anyone any bad ideas that will get them into trouble.

Very thoughtful of you. But it also makes us wonder: are you worried that you'll get in trouble if you divulge when and where you did this window climbing? Hmm... is that a discrete silence we hear?

What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self (besides not climbing out of windows, that is)?

So many things. Too many to list here. I've got a free booklet available through my website called "Wise Things That Other People Have Said." It's basically a listing of some of the smart things I've come across that I wish I had known when I was younger, things that remind me not to take stuff too personally and to pursue happiness instead of anger. I still read through a few of them almost every day to keep from slipping back into darkness. Hopefully it can help someone else too, because even the rockiest of roads can lead to a happy ending.

What super power do you wish you had?

I've always wanted to fly, to be able to see everything from a eagle's view and soar and swoop and hover. Now, since the flight powers have yet to manifest themselves, I'm thinking about taking helicopter lessons.

That should get you flying! Good luck with the lessons, Mark. We'll watch for you hovering overhead.

About Mark's story in the Spirited anthology: "Stained"

Isaiah Wildes was born to be a witch hunter like his father. It's his destiny. And now that his father is gone, Isaiah is determined to honor his father’s memory by becoming the best ever. Then he meets Faith Jacobs and wonders if his destiny may lie elsewhere. But will the chief witch hunter let the talented Isaiah just walk away?

About the Author

Mark Finnemore lives in California with his beautiful wife Panji, who helped him learn that even the rockiest road can lead to a happy ending. Mark has had short stories published and is currently working on the finishing touches of a novel titled Love & Taxes, which he hopes will one day be not only finished, but published and found at your local bookstore as well. Visit Mark at Mythic Picnic or Genre Trash or Love & Taxes.

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about Mark, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for Mark for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

And for a limited time, click on this link to get the Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On sale for $.99

Until April 8, 2012

Only 99 Cents

Limited Time: Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On Sale $.99

Until April 8, 2012

To help us celebrate the launch of the print version of Spirited, Leap Books has the $8.99 ebook version on sale for $.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. All proceeds from the anthology will be donated to charity. Read more about that charity, 826 National, here.

We're also featuring each of the 13 anthology authors over the next few weeks on our blog. Learn more about the superstars behind Spirited--talented authors who are willing to donate their time and talent to help encourage literacy and writing. We'll also include some sneak peeks at their stories.

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about each author, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for each author for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

And if you're in the Alberta, Canada, area, you can attend a live launch party with three of the authors: Judith Graves, Dawn Dalton, and Hallie D. Lilburn on April 21. Exciting details below:

Leap Books Launches

Leap Books is thrilled to announce three new titles:

FEBRUARY 12
 The second book in Judith Graves' Skinned series:

 

ISBN-13 978-1-61603-006-3
ISBN-10 1-61603-006-2

With Fiends Like Eryn…

Monsters. Bloodsuckers. The evil. The damned. Eryn McCain knows they exist—she's been hunting them since she was a child. At sixteen, she's ready to take on all comers. Being a shapeshifter gives her an advantage when it comes to her unusual part-time job. The hours suck and the pay is, well, non-existent, but bonuses like inhuman strength and night vision make tracking scary beasties a dream come true. Especially in a town like Redgrave.

When an ancient demon targets Redgrave High, Eryn and her crew of hunters must face their innermost fears to prevent the Harvest Moon Dance from becoming one serious Monster Mash. Loyalties are tested and temptations abound. With questions ever brewing, can Eryn share a future with the brooding, noble, human Alec—the hunter after her heart? Or will she succumb to her enemy's son, Wade, a seductive predator as bloodthirsty as she is?

What happens when you’re both the beauty and the beast?


FEBRUARY 14

Patrice Lyle's humorous paranormal...

ISBN 13 978-1-61603-013-1
ISBN 10 1-61603-013-5

Morgan Skully is the world's only blonde demon girl, and she's got a brand new, very unusual afterschool job. Spying for the Devil. She'd much rather use her cloak-and-dagger skills to spy on hottie-licious Derek with her friends, but the Devil won't take no for an answer. Luckily for Morgan, her new boss is kinda hot. Her assignment is simple: find out who at Pitchfork Prep is funneling secrets to the Siberian Werewolf Council. If she succeeds, pedicures and platinum highlights are just the beginning.

But if she fails…there's more on the line than killer shoes.

MARCH 28

An anthology of ghostly tales by Maria V. Snyder, Candace Havens, Shannon Delany, Jill Williamson, Linda Joy Singleton, Heather Kenealy, Judith Graves, Kitty Keswick, Dawn Dalton, Carmen Tudor, John W. Otte, Halli Dee Lilburn, and Mark Finnemore 

ISBN-13--978-1-61603-020-9

Edited by Kat O'Shea

Haunted houses. Haunted hearts. And a past that refuses to die. . .

Leap Books summoned best-selling paranormal and dreadfully talented debut authors to conjure up Spirited, a haunting collection of 13 tales guaranteed to keep you up all night.

Get entombed in stories of Egyptian treasures, shudder at tales of malevolent spirits, and become enthralled with the adventures of witch-hunters, ghost seekers, and lost souls. From steampunk to cyberpunk, our collection spans past, present, and future hauntings. One story actually leaps off the page with 3D augmented reality.

Go ahead. Turn the page if you dare. We won't tell if you sleep with the light on. Because after all, there's no rest for the wicked.

All proceeds from the sale of SPIRITED will be donated to 826 National.

Print book available exclusively from the Leap Books store.

One More Finnish Treat

For lovers of all things Finnish and paranormal, here's a sneak peek at an excerpt from the anthology Spirited. This story, "The Cold One," is by bestselling, award-winning author Candace Havens.

"Bone-chilling cold and secrets.

Those are the two things I'll take with me when I leave Finland.

If I leave..."

"Havahduttaa jalkeilla apulainen." The words are so loud I jump out of bed and hit my head on the slanted roof. Groaning, I rub the top of my head.

Grandmother stands at the end of the bed pointing at me. "Havahduttaa jalkeilla apulainen." She says it again.

"I am up," I grumble. I can see my breath the room is so cold.

"Wait." I sit back on the bed. "I understood you. You said, 'Wake up, girl.'"

"He's coming. Save me." Poof. She's gone. I mean, like I blink, and she's no longer there.

"Who's coming?" I whisper. I glance at the clock on the wall. Two in the morning. But I'm wired. No way I'll be able to go back to bed any time soon.

I pull on one of the big sweaters mom bought me for the trip and go downstairs. It's even chillier in the living room without the fire. The crazy thing about houses in Finland is that everything is white—the walls, the counters, the floors, and even the cabinets. The house reminds me of a hospital. In the kitchen I fill a glass of water from the tap and chug it down.

Thump. The sound against the basement door sends my glass clattering into the sink.

My breath catches as the door opens. Screaming and moving seem like great options, but my body freezes. My reflexes take a hike.

Maybe this is one of my crazy dreams. And…

"Good, you're awake." A guy's blond head pops out of the darkness. He steps into the kitchen, and I can see he's probably only a year or two older than me. "I can use your help. We're almost out of time."

"Who-uh-who are you?" My voice sounds strangled. He's more solid than the ghosts, so I assume he is real. Though, around here anything can happen. But how did he get in?

"Riku. I'm helping your grandmother. She won't leave me alone. Come on." He waves me toward the basement stairs and then disappears.

Bad things happen in basements. In every horror movie I've ever seen, people die when they go to the basement. Sometimes it's the devil. Other times it's zombies or evil spiders. But they always die. There's a strange guy I don't know in grandma's house, and the smartest thing I can do is tell my mother. Or call the police.

Do they have 911 in Finland?

Then something he says clicks in my brain.

Before I realize it, I'm halfway down the stairs. 

"My grandmother is dead," I say...

 

To read more of this story or others by authors such as Maria V. Snyder, Shannon Delany, Linda Joy Singleton, Jill Williamson, and other exciting YA authors, click here for the ebook or preorder your print copy from the Leap Books store.

And watch for other exciting news to celebrate Leap Books 3rd anniversary on January 1. Throughout the month we'll have books on sale for $.99. One pre-celebration treat is Judith Graves Under My Skin, available now for only $.99.

Spooky Story in News

The Bonneville Nouvelle recently published an article titled, "Graves' spooky story to be published in Spirited anthology," by Melissa Barr.

Photo by Melissa Barr

The story highlights Judith Graves' latest releases: "Strangeways vs. the Wraith" in the Spirited anthology and the second book in the Skinned trilogy, Second Skin.

Pure Speculation Festival Today

On November 19th, meet Judith Graves at the Pure Speculation Fest in Edmonton, Canada. She'll be speaking on the Young Adult Fantastic Fiction: Not Just About Boy Wizards panel with Gail Siddonie Sobat, Marty Chan, and Nicole Luiken.

Here's the low-down:

“Testosterone-filled fantasy continues to dominate the industry, yet there are any number of compelling narratives featuring the female protagonist and her particular strengths, trials and passions. Unfortunately, women writers of children’s/YA SF novels with female protagonists are still all-too-frequently relegated to the literary backroom. Presenters will share insights about the female writer & the protagonist of speculative fiction, and their essential roles in righting the gender imbalance & the ghetto-ization that plague the SF genre.”

A chance you won't want to miss:

As a part of Pure Spec’s fundraising efforts for a local charity via the GEEKS FOR GEEKS auction,  Judith is raffling off naming a character after one lucky winner. That’s right, a character in SKIN OF MY TEETH could be named after YOU. Although Judith warns that "said character’s life expectancy is not guaranteed and it is likely that he/she may suffer a painful death under the light of the new moon – or some such paranormal goodness."

Still it's a great way to get your name in print and help charity at the same time.

Look for Graves other books:

Online Writing Classes with Kat O'Shea

Want to learn more about writing? Leap Books Editor-in-chief, Kat O'Shea, will be presenting two online workshops this summer for Savvy Authors. These four-week-long classes are available at a bargain price. Here's information. Click on the links below to register. And if you don't want to wait several weeks, you can find writing advice from Kat now in "First Chapter Mistakes." Best of all, if you been dying to submit to Leap Books, taking one of these classes will allow you to do that. [Please note that except for special calls for submissions, such as for the Spirited anthology, Leap Books only accepts submissions from agents.]

Editing with an Editor

Instructor: Kat O'Shea. One of the fastest ways to get your manuscript rejected is to submit one that needs substantial editing. Grammar and punctuation are important, but they aren’t the only things that give your manuscript a quick trip to the rejection pile. Learn editors’ pet peeves and how to avoid them as well as how to tackle overall manuscript revision and still keep your sanity.

WHEN:   Jun 27 - Jul 24, 2011

COST:   $15 for Premium Members; $25 for Basic Members


Click Here to Register


Story Structure

Instructor: Kat O'Shea. An interesting and exciting beginning will draw readers in, but how do you keep their interest high throughout? A well-plotted story will keep them turning the pages and make them eager to read your next book. Both plotters and pantsers will benefit from knowing how to structure a story that readers can’t put down. Learn about different story structures, such as the 3-Act and the Hero’s Journey, and how introducing change bombs and writing cliffhangers can help you avoid sagging middles.

WHEN:   Aug 1 - Aug 28, 2011

COST:   $15 for Premium Members; $25 for Basic Members

Click Here to Register

Deadline for Submissions Extended

We're looking for published authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.

Want a Free Book?

 One of the authors who is contributing to Leap Books forthcoming Spirited anthology, Linda Joy Singleton, has a FREE YA paranormal romance available for the month of May only. You can check out the book trailer HERE. Better yet, just pick up your FREE copy of Dead Girl Walking for the Nook and Kindle at Amazon.


And watch for Spirited this October.

Call for Submissions

We're looking for authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.