Trick or Treat: Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop

October 23-30 2013

 

Halloween is almost here. Yay!

I love all things fantasy and paranormal. Things that go bump in the night. Faeries and brownies. Vampires, shape shifters, and zombies. Oh, yeah!

In celebration of the season, I'm participating in the Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop: hosted by paranormal author Nancy Gideon. So join us for a week-long Halloween party!

Hop along with us. Gift prizes along the way. I'm gifting a $10 Starbucks e-gift card to one lucky commenter.  Sound good? Read on down to the bottom of this post to learn how to get your name into the garden hat.

 

Shit. Late for work again.

The early morning California sun blinded. Sylvia slid into the cracked leather seat of her red MGB midget and her short black skirt rode up her thighs. With a sigh, she inserted the key into the ignition.

"Please start."

Click, click, click, click, click, vroom.

"Yes!"

She pulled out of the driveway and headed for the city.

With one hand on the wheel, she scratched the raised bite mark near the vein on her wrist and shuddered. That too familiar prickly sensation of eight tiny phantom legs crawled over her skin. Revulsion chills crept down her spine. She despised spiders.

Breathe, Sylvia. Breathe. She inhaled air deep into her lungs.

 

Entering the freeway, she zipped across the lanes to the left and sped with the traffic. Holy shit! Her worst nightmare crawled across the dashboard. She grabbed a used tissue from the passenger seat garbage pile and squashed the damn creepy crawly.

Her thigh itched like crazy. She swallowed hard and glanced down. A black widow skittered across her leg. Sylvia spun the wheel.

The crunch of metal was the final sound. She'd never be late for work again.

 

 

*  *  *

 

 

Hope you liked that wee bit of Halloween flash fiction. Now for the giveaway...

 

Giveaway: $10 Starbucks e-gift certificate. Leave a comment on this post with the answer to two questions. 1) What is your favorite Halloween costume? 2) What  type of spider was in Sylvia's car? Be sure to include your email addy. Feeling shy? Email Dawn Marie at Dawn at DawnMarieHamilton dot com. Only comments answering both questions and including an email addy will be considered. One name will be pulled out of the garden hat on Halloween, Thursday October 31.

 

 

~Dawn Marie


Please check out the other participating blogs...

Sneak Peek Sunday - 'Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon'

Welcome to this week's Sneak Peek. Here's another excerpt from the recently released Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon, the second novel in the Highland Gardens series—Scottish historical time travel romance with faeries. Hope you enjoy this wee snippet!

Finn continues with the fight, the trial of vigor...

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon
A Highland Gardens Novel
Bk #2

Finn breathed deeply, dragging air into his lungs. Oxygen pumped through his veins.

He warded another blow, pushing forward as he did. Archibald stumbled, his chest heaving from the effort.  
 

Taking advantage, Finn released his left hand from the hilt of his sword and struck his opponent in the throat. Staggering backward, Archibald fell to one knee.
 

The crowd roared. Shock registered in the man’s eyes.
 

Finn dropped his sword and bent over, panting. Holy shit. He’d bested Archibald.
 

The other warriors pressed forward. Someone pounded Finn on the back, cheering him. His vision blurred. He thought he might lose his breakfast, pass out.

 

 

For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.

 

Click here

to join in the fun

and hop along

with Sneak Peek Sunday.

~Dawn Marie

Sneak Peek Sunday - 'Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon'

Welcome to this week's Sneak Peek. Here's another excerpt from the recently released Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon, the second novel in the Highland Gardens series—Scottish historical time travel romance with faeries. Hope you enjoy this wee snippet!

Elspeth arrives at the field, where Finn is proving his worth to her brother, the clan chief, with a trial of vigor...

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon
A Highland Gardens Novel
Bk #2

“Bold attack. Near felled the chief.”

She rose onto the balls of her feet, trying to see, but a broad warrior blocked her view of the action. Each time he moved, flinging his arms with excitement, he forced her to weave in the opposite direction.

“Lady Elspeth. Here.” A young maid tugged her forward to the front of the ogling crowd.

Elspeth wasn’t prepared for the scene unfolding, or for the unexpected emotions raging through her. She stared, mesmerized, white knuckles pressed against her mouth, the ring of steel against steel grating along her spine. Fear leapt into her throat. With every move the men made she tasted her fright.

She prayed for Finn. Guilt brought heat to her cheeks. She never supported her brothers’ opponents.

Why now? Why this man?

  

 

For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.

Click here

to join in the fun

and hop along

with Sneak Peek Sunday.

~Dawn Marie

Sneak Peek Sunday - 'Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon'

Welcome to this week's Sneak Peek. Here's another excerpt from the recently released Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon, the second novel in the Highland Gardens series--Scottish historical time travel romance with faeries. Hope you enjoy this wee snippet!

Elspeth arrives at the field, where Finn is proving his worth to her brother, the clan chief, with a trial of vigor...

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon
A Highland Gardens Novel
Bk #2

Elspeth ran to the edge of the grassy field still embarrassed from the teasing she received from Aine who’d caught her hanging out her bedchamber window in a most unladylike fashion. She smoothed the front of her wrinkled silver gown and tried to see through the growing crowd.

“Devil of a fighter for a MacIntyre.”

“Aye, the man can warm my bed on an eve.”

Did the guardsmen and servants discuss her stranger?

Hers?

She mustn’t think of him as belonging to her. Need she remind herself she would soon wed? She should return to the castle.

 

For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.

Click here

to join in the fun

and hop along

with Sneak Peek Sunday.

~Dawn Marie

Sneak Peek Sunday - 'Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon'

Welcome to this week's Sneak Peek. Here's another excerpt from the newly released Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon, the second novel in the Highland Gardens series--Scottish historical time travel romance with faeries. Hope you enjoy this wee snippet!

Finn must prove his worth to the Highlanders with a trial of vigor...

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon
A Highland Gardens Novel
Bk #2

Finn warded off the first cut with the flat of his blade. Counterattacking, his feet firmly planted, he used his hips to bring power to his blow. The large two-handed sword was heavy. He heard Iain’s instructions in his head. “Bring the fight to an end swiftly, lad, before you become overly fatigued and are injured, or accidentally wound your opponent.”

Archibald grunted. The clang of steel rang in Finn’s ears. Sun reflecting off polished metal nearly blinded him. Ignoring the distraction, he reached within to pull forth his inner-warrior.

Lightning flashed. Rolling thunder reverberated in his ears.

Each clash of his sword sent vibrations shooting up his arms, thrumming inside his chest, racing down his spine, spreading through his nervous system. Instead of weakening him, the pulsating energy made him more powerful.

With every stroke, he wielded his sword with renewed strength, his senses enhanced. He moved from one blow to the next, his blade in constant motion.

A blur of silver fabric startled him, but he deflected the next strike with finesse.

For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.

Click here

to join in the fun

and hop along

with Sneak Peek Sunday.

~Dawn Marie

What's blooming in the Garden? - Fall Flowers and Fall Events

I just love this time of the year. The weather is perfect. Perfect for lovely fall flowers.
These lavender chrysanthemums grace our front entrance.

 

 

Who doesn't love the smiley face of a pansy?

 

 

 

 

Soft pink sedum attract small butterflies that make me smile, as does the events I'm attending later in the season.

 

 

 

 October and November bring some special events...

 

 

 

 

 

As a Halloween treat, I'm participating in the Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop hosted by paranormal author Nancy Gideon from October 23-30. Be sure to stop by for my giveaway during the hop.

 

 



 

 

 

During the month of November, I'll be attending The Romance Reviews Year End Splash Party. Visit often to play cool games and have fun. Grand Prize: $100 Gift Card. Hope to see you there!

 

 

~Dawn Marie

 

 

Sneak Peek Sunday - 'Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon'

Welcome to this week's Sneak Peek. Here's another excerpt from the newly released Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon, the second novel in the Highland Gardens series--Scottish historical time travel romance with faeries. Hope you enjoy this wee snippet!

Finn must prove his worth to the Highlanders with a trial of vigor...

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon
A Highland Gardens Novel
Bk #2

 

Muscles straining, Finn raised his sword, the tip pointed toward Archibald’s eyes. An odd tingling sensation raced along his outstretched arms, coalescing around his heart. Nerves. A bad time for a panic attack.

Swallowing hard, he held his stance.

Archibald attacked.

Finn warded off the first cut with the flat of his blade. Counterattacking, his feet firmly planted, he used his hips to bring power to his blow. The large two-handed sword was heavy. He heard Iain’s instructions in his head. “Bring the fight to an end swiftly, lad, before you become overly fatigued and are injured, or accidentally wound your opponent.”

Archibald grunted. The clang of steel rang in Finn’s ears. Sun reflecting off polished metal nearly blinded him. Ignoring the distraction, he reached within to pull forth his inner-warrior.

Lightning flashed. Rolling thunder reverberated in his ears.

For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.

Click here

to join in the fun

and hop along

with Sneak Peek Sunday.

~Dawn Marie