Happy Book Birthday to HAUNTED CHEMISTRY

Two summers ago, when I should have been writing the sequel to The Grave Winner, I saw the open call from Entangled Publishing for romantic horror novellas. I was having a hard time with the sequel, and romantic horror is kind of my thing. Sequel or no, I had to write something, so around the first of July, I started what would become Haunted Chemistry. At the end of the month, I sent it in and geared up for the waiting.

 

Last October, I finally heard back. I remember reading that email again and again in a shock-induced fog. Entangled, publisher of fantastic, best-selling books, wanted…me? Uuuhhhhhh. And that’s when I started hearing colors, bright, happy colors that sounded kind of like a steady squeal.

 

So, yeah, Haunted Chemistry. Here’s the fantastic cover designed by Taria Reed, the blurb, and the buy links:

 

Haunted Chemistry 500

 

When bookish college co-ed Alexis heads to the laundry room in her new apartment, she runs into Ian Reese, the chem lab partner she crushed on all last semester. And the guy who stood her up on their first date. But she’s down for an awkward reunion, and no better place than her creepy laundry room.

 

Ian has every intention of making amends, but just when Alexis begins to trust him again, a new threat calls more than their future together into question. A ghost from the apartment’s past is hellbent on revenge, and if he wants to get his girl, he’ll have to get the ghost first.

 

Amazon

 

Barnes & Noble

 

I’ll be going on a blog tour all week with some other fab authors and their romantic horror novellas, too! One of the tour prizes will be a $50 gift card to the book retailer of your choice! I’ll post the tour schedule soon. Until then, happy haunting!

 

P.S. That sequel that was giving me trouble? It’s finished. I sent it to my publisher last week and they sent me a contract that very same day! My squeals have turned purple!!

 

Bess’s Strength in #ResurrectingHarry

So this is what daylight looks like! I’ve been hunkered down in my editing cave while working on Salt in the Cupboard edits, but I’m done now. I have a chocolate mustache and beard smeared across my face because my editing cave has chocolate, but I think I’m going to leave it there while Constance Phillips talks to us about Harry Houdini and her new book Resurrecting Harry.

 

Take it away, Constance!

 

Thank you so much, Lindsey, for having me on your blog today!

 

The question I’m most asked about Resurrecting Harry, is “Why write a book about Harry Houdini?”

 

There’s no doubt that Harry Houdini was a fascinating person and his persona made for a great character, but for me Bess was even more intriguing.

 

While Harry was still alive, she served as his partner – not only in life, but in business. After he passed, she still devoted herself to the legend and legacy by conducting the séances on the anniversary of his death for ten years. At the end of that last séance, she is said to have blown out a candle that had burned for the entire decade and said, “ten years was long enough to wait for any man.”

 

I have to say I agree.

 

And it is part of the inspiration behind Resurrecting Harry; that a woman of such strength and character shouldn’t have to spend so much time devoted to a ghost.

 

Though the story is a work of fiction, I hope that I was able to capture the strength that this woman had, and that the Bess that is on the pages of the book, at the very least, resembles the Bess who lived, breathed and stood by her partner on the stage and in life.

 

 

Wow! Now that’s dedication! Here’s the book trailer, cover, and blurb for Ressurecting Harry:

 

resurrecting harry - Copy

Can the greatest escape artist ever known break the grim reaper’s chains to save the only woman he’s ever loved?

 

In order to save Bess from self-destruction, Harry Houdini puts his afterlife on the line by entering a wager with purgatory’s keeper. He gives Harry a younger face and body, and a new name: Erich Welch.

 

Bess clings to his promise to deliver a coded message from beyond the grave, determined to provide the bridge for him to cross, even if that means befriending her husband’s sworn enemy.

 

Erich needs to help Bess over her loss and put her on the road to healing, but will any good come from resurrecting Harry?

 

 

 

It sounds awesome! Here’s Constance’s bio:

IMG_1332proof

Constance Phillips lives in Ohio with her husband, two ready-to-leave-the-nest children, and four canine kids. Her perfect fantasy vacation would involve hunting Dracula across Europe with her daughter, who also digs that kind of stuff. When she’s not writing about fairies, shifters, vamps, and guardian angels, she’s working side-by-side with her husband in their hardwood flooring business.

Constance is actively involved in her local Romance Writers of America chapter (MVRWA) and the Southeast Michigan chapter of the United States Pony Club. When not writing or enjoying the outdoors, she loves reality television or can be found at a Rick Springfield concert (just look for the pink Converse high tops).

Constance blogs regularly at www.constancephillips.com. You can also follow her on Twitter or friend her on Facebook.

 

Website/blog: http://constancephillips.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470282.Constance_Phillips

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ConstancePhillipsRomanceAuthor?ref=hl

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CPhillips

Buy links

Amazon POD : http://www.amazon.com/Resurrecting-Harry-Constance-Phillips/dp/1939173132/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361977605&sr=8-3&keywords=Resurrecting+Harry

 

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Resurrecting-Harry-ebook/dp/B00BLBKDDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361977605&sr=8-1&keywords=Resurrecting+Harry

The LOOK Challenge

My poor, neglected blog. Between work, the nonsense that is my immune system, and my overall laziness, I’ve been away far too long. *wags finger and give self a stern look*

Anyway, back in August, my Crescent Moon sister, Jennifer Wells, tagged me in the Look Challenge. Here are the rules:

  • Find the first usage of the word “look” in your work in progress and paste the surrounding paragraph(s) into your blog.
  • Invite as many people as you want to take part in the challenge with you.

So, here are a couple paragraphs of my romantic horror novella, Salt In the Cupboard:

As I take a step forward, the door bursts open. My heart leaps into my throat. I cry out. My cheeks heat at the surprised face of Ian Reese, my chemistry lab partner from last year. His hair has been shaved into a buzz cut, accentuating his sharp cheekbones and those blue eyes that shoot static to where my heart should be. A black t-shirt hugs every dip and curve of his muscles, and his jeans hang from his hips in a sexy peel-me-off kind of way. Holy. Cow.

“Alexis,” he says with a smile that could melt the sun. “How are you?”

“Ian.” I look away to mentally fan myself. “I’m great. You live here, too?”

“As of yesterday.” He juts his chin to his right. “Apartment twelve.”

“Twenty-six.”

He nods. We stand in awkward silence because I can’t think of anything else to say. Our date that never happened mixes through the cool air and hangs heavy with the clouds.

 

Not many people have seen this story, not even my beloved critique partners! I’ll explain why in an upcoming post, along with some BIG news!

I’m inviting everyone who sees this to participate in the Look Challenge. I’ll be LoOkInG for your post!