E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 36
November 16, 2014
Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Detroit with Amber Lynn Natusch
Come on boys and ghouls! It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip. This week's stop is Detroit, Michigan and our special guide is Amber Lynn Natusch, author of the Unborn series.
The Unborn series is set in Detroit so it seems fitting that our guide for this week's Paranormal Road Trip be the amazing Amber Lynn Natusch. Let's see what terrifying places Amber has planned for our tour.
Detroit's Top 5 Spooky Places
1) Heidelberg Project
2) Masonic Temple
3) Michigan Central Station
4) Lee Plaza Hotel
5) United Artists Theater
Thank you Amber for giving us such a haunting tour of Detroit!
To learn more about Amber Lynn Natusch and her books, please visit her website. You can add the Unborn series here on Goodreads.
What did you think of Amber's picks for spooky places?
Want more information about spooky places to visit in Detroit? Don't miss Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Detroit with Laura Bickle.
Last week on Paranormal Road Trip we visited Nightshade, California with Marlene Perez. Next week we'll be traveling to Los Angeles, California with Melissa F. Olson.
Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!
November 15, 2014
Hunting in Bruges Release Week Wrap-up
This has been such an exciting week! Hunting in Bruges, the debut novel in my Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series, released on Tuesday, November 11th to rave reviews.
I'd like to thank all of the bloggers who participated in guest posts and giveaways, and the readers who have shared their reviews. You ROCK!
Check out what readers are saying about Hunting in Bruges...
Praise for Hunting in Bruges
"I could not put this book down. I flat out loved it!...This book is full of action, deaths, supernatural creatures, and is perfect for the adult urban fantasy fan, and I for one, can't wait for the next installment."
-Rabid Reads
"I loved Hunting in Bruges. It was well-written, easy-to-read, and fast-paced."
-TNT Reviews
"Hunting in Bruges has everything a great Urban Fantasy should, a kick ass heroine, a loveable hot guy, plenty of supernatural beings and a fast paced story line...I absolutely loved this book!...From the superbly written characters to the fascinating setting, Hunting in Bruges is a must read."
-Book Lover's Life
"5 STARS. A creepy, oppressive atmosphere prevails throughout the entire book. This Gothic malevolence was the perfect backdrop for Jenna's exploits; traversing the city of Bruges attempting to find out who or what is carrying out an escalating murder spree."
-Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews
"Jenna is definitely one to add to my list of kick-ass heroines. If you like the Ivy Granger series, then you will like this one too as it takes you into another aspect and perspective of that paranormal world."
-VVB Reads
"This was a great start to a new series...A unique paranormal story. One that I thoroughly enjoyed."
-Freda's Voice
"I absolutely recommend checking out Hunting In Bruges if you like richly detailed urban fantasies..."
-Book and Coffee Addict
"Everything about Hunting in Bruges pulls the reader in and will keep him/her completely engrossed. I highly recommend Hunting in Bruges."
-Sapphyria's Book Reviews
"[Hunting in Bruges] is a well-crafted and fun urban fantasy...If you are looking for something that is unique, well-written and a fun escape read: this is the story is for you!"
-The Jeep Diva
"Jenna Lehane. Hunter. Protector of the innocent. All-around bad ass...An amazing new series by E.J. Stevens!"
-My Urban Fantasies
Thank you to everyone who shared news of this book's release on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and on your blogs. I appreciate it more than you can possibly imagine.
Want to snag a copy of Hunting in Bruges for yourself, or as a holiday gift?
Hunting in Bruges is available in ebook and trade paperback at Amazon, Amazon.uk, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, and other fine retailers.
You can also enter to win a signed trade paperback and fabulous swag in the Hunting in Bruges Release Party Giveaway . Giveaway ends November 25th midnight EST.
I'd like to thank all of the bloggers who participated in guest posts and giveaways, and the readers who have shared their reviews. You ROCK!
Check out what readers are saying about Hunting in Bruges...
Praise for Hunting in Bruges
"I could not put this book down. I flat out loved it!...This book is full of action, deaths, supernatural creatures, and is perfect for the adult urban fantasy fan, and I for one, can't wait for the next installment."
-Rabid Reads
"I loved Hunting in Bruges. It was well-written, easy-to-read, and fast-paced."
-TNT Reviews
"Hunting in Bruges has everything a great Urban Fantasy should, a kick ass heroine, a loveable hot guy, plenty of supernatural beings and a fast paced story line...I absolutely loved this book!...From the superbly written characters to the fascinating setting, Hunting in Bruges is a must read."
-Book Lover's Life
"5 STARS. A creepy, oppressive atmosphere prevails throughout the entire book. This Gothic malevolence was the perfect backdrop for Jenna's exploits; traversing the city of Bruges attempting to find out who or what is carrying out an escalating murder spree."
-Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews
"Jenna is definitely one to add to my list of kick-ass heroines. If you like the Ivy Granger series, then you will like this one too as it takes you into another aspect and perspective of that paranormal world."
-VVB Reads
"This was a great start to a new series...A unique paranormal story. One that I thoroughly enjoyed."
-Freda's Voice
"I absolutely recommend checking out Hunting In Bruges if you like richly detailed urban fantasies..."
-Book and Coffee Addict
"Everything about Hunting in Bruges pulls the reader in and will keep him/her completely engrossed. I highly recommend Hunting in Bruges."
-Sapphyria's Book Reviews
"[Hunting in Bruges] is a well-crafted and fun urban fantasy...If you are looking for something that is unique, well-written and a fun escape read: this is the story is for you!"
-The Jeep Diva
"Jenna Lehane. Hunter. Protector of the innocent. All-around bad ass...An amazing new series by E.J. Stevens!"
-My Urban Fantasies
Thank you to everyone who shared news of this book's release on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and on your blogs. I appreciate it more than you can possibly imagine.
Want to snag a copy of Hunting in Bruges for yourself, or as a holiday gift?
Hunting in Bruges is available in ebook and trade paperback at Amazon, Amazon.uk, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, and other fine retailers.
You can also enter to win a signed trade paperback and fabulous swag in the Hunting in Bruges Release Party Giveaway . Giveaway ends November 25th midnight EST.
November 13, 2014
World of Krymzyn Guest Post + $100 Giveaway
Please welcome today's guest author B.C. Powell! B.C. is the author of KRYMZYN, a new adult, sci-fi, fantasy novel.
I had the opportunity to ask B.C. about the fantasy world of Krymzyn, and he was kind enough to share this enlightening guest post with us.
Read on for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
The World of Krymzyn May Not Be What It Seems
When Chase, the male protagonist from Earth, unexpexctedly finds himself in a world called Krymyzn, he stands under “dark, ominous clouds that never move” and sees “trees that violently spring to life during Darkness.” As he spends more time in this world, he realizes that the people seem to live with “a narrow range of emotion.”
When Chase asks, “What is Krymzyn?” the answer he receives is, “Krymzyn is an infinite plane where all things exist in perfect balance.” It’s a vague, somewhat mysterious answer that leaves both Chase and the reader wondering what this really means.
When he arrives again in Krymyzn during Darkness, Chase flees from one of the hideous, vile creatures from the Barrens—right into the lashing branch of a tree. After the near-death experience, Chase is less impressed with the balance of Krymyzn, and more concerned with the danger. When he voices this complaint, the response is, “Balance doesn’t imply an abscence of danger. In fact, danger may allow balance to properly exist.” Chase also learns that the balance of Krymyzn, the world where time began, is what allows all other planes of existnce, “universes” they may be called, to exist.
So when we put all of this together, Chase—and we—still don’t know exactly what Krymzyn is. I had a distinct image of Krymzyn from the moment I started writing the book that has evolved into something much greater than even I could have imagined when I began the story.
In my opinion, a new world can’t simply be written for the sake of being different. It needs to have valid reasons to exist the way it does. What may appear as random characteristics early in the story should eventually come together in a cohesive manner that leads the reader to say, “Ah, I understand now.”
In Krymzyn, people do something called “blending their light,” allowing them to travel at speeds in excess of twenty thousand miles per hour. But children don’t know who their parents are since, as infants, they’re presented to and raised by the Keepers. The people dwell in mystifying caverns with blue quartz walls, cascading silvery-blue waterfalls, all illuminated by golden light from creatures called Swirls that live in crystal ceilings. But each person spends their life alone, not seeming to have the capicity to fall in love. Krymzyn is, in many ways, a world of contradiction.
When Chase has his moment of enlightenment, what I consider the real “gotcha” moment of the book, all the little clues that are there along the way should come together for the reader into a deeper understanding of this world. More importantly, Chase learns something critical about himself in that moment, and we see what’s truly inside him.
As the series progresses, we’ll learn more about the strange world of Krymzyn. We’ll meet the Guardians of the Gateways to the Infinite Expanse, spend time with the Serquatine we meet in the first book, and learn how the world of Krymzyn came to exist at The Beginning. Chase and Sash, the extraordinary “prodigy of all things Krymzyn,” will be our guides for much of the exploration of this world. In the end, those who take this journey will learn that Krymyzn is something much, much more than any of us could have imagined when we first read, “The girl looks up to static gray billows overhead.
Krymzyn (The Journals of Krymzyn #1) by B.C. Powell.
Chase was twelve the first time he arrived in a strange land where dark, ominous clouds never move, ancient trees violently spring to life during Darkness, and people seem to live without emotion. Doctors tell him they’re hallucinations, but he knows his visits are real. She’s there-Sash-and she’s more real than anyone he’s ever known.
His visits stop but, as years pass, the memories haunt Chase. Without warning, the young man suddenly finds himself again in a world called Krymzyn. Arriving during Darkness, he’s rescued from death by the extraordinary, beautiful but terrifying young woman he first met when he was twelve.
When Chase is thrust into the war of balance against vile creatures who threaten all who live there, Sash helps him understand his purpose in Krymzyn. A dark secret from the beginning of time reveals he might be able to stay there forever. To prove he belongs in Krymzyn and be with the only woman he can ever love, Chase will have to risk his own life in the ultimate battle.
Release Date: October 4, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Add to Goodreads.
Krymzyn Tour $100 Amazon Giveaway
The author is giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner.
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. This is a tour giveaway, and the winner will be selected randomly by the author/tour/publisher. Giveaway ends December 2, 2014. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Would you like to visit the world of Krymzyn?
I had the opportunity to ask B.C. about the fantasy world of Krymzyn, and he was kind enough to share this enlightening guest post with us.
Read on for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
The World of Krymzyn May Not Be What It Seems
When Chase, the male protagonist from Earth, unexpexctedly finds himself in a world called Krymyzn, he stands under “dark, ominous clouds that never move” and sees “trees that violently spring to life during Darkness.” As he spends more time in this world, he realizes that the people seem to live with “a narrow range of emotion.”
When Chase asks, “What is Krymzyn?” the answer he receives is, “Krymzyn is an infinite plane where all things exist in perfect balance.” It’s a vague, somewhat mysterious answer that leaves both Chase and the reader wondering what this really means.
When he arrives again in Krymyzn during Darkness, Chase flees from one of the hideous, vile creatures from the Barrens—right into the lashing branch of a tree. After the near-death experience, Chase is less impressed with the balance of Krymyzn, and more concerned with the danger. When he voices this complaint, the response is, “Balance doesn’t imply an abscence of danger. In fact, danger may allow balance to properly exist.” Chase also learns that the balance of Krymyzn, the world where time began, is what allows all other planes of existnce, “universes” they may be called, to exist.
So when we put all of this together, Chase—and we—still don’t know exactly what Krymzyn is. I had a distinct image of Krymzyn from the moment I started writing the book that has evolved into something much greater than even I could have imagined when I began the story.
In my opinion, a new world can’t simply be written for the sake of being different. It needs to have valid reasons to exist the way it does. What may appear as random characteristics early in the story should eventually come together in a cohesive manner that leads the reader to say, “Ah, I understand now.”
In Krymzyn, people do something called “blending their light,” allowing them to travel at speeds in excess of twenty thousand miles per hour. But children don’t know who their parents are since, as infants, they’re presented to and raised by the Keepers. The people dwell in mystifying caverns with blue quartz walls, cascading silvery-blue waterfalls, all illuminated by golden light from creatures called Swirls that live in crystal ceilings. But each person spends their life alone, not seeming to have the capicity to fall in love. Krymzyn is, in many ways, a world of contradiction.
When Chase has his moment of enlightenment, what I consider the real “gotcha” moment of the book, all the little clues that are there along the way should come together for the reader into a deeper understanding of this world. More importantly, Chase learns something critical about himself in that moment, and we see what’s truly inside him.
As the series progresses, we’ll learn more about the strange world of Krymzyn. We’ll meet the Guardians of the Gateways to the Infinite Expanse, spend time with the Serquatine we meet in the first book, and learn how the world of Krymzyn came to exist at The Beginning. Chase and Sash, the extraordinary “prodigy of all things Krymzyn,” will be our guides for much of the exploration of this world. In the end, those who take this journey will learn that Krymyzn is something much, much more than any of us could have imagined when we first read, “The girl looks up to static gray billows overhead.
Krymzyn (The Journals of Krymzyn #1) by B.C. Powell.
Chase was twelve the first time he arrived in a strange land where dark, ominous clouds never move, ancient trees violently spring to life during Darkness, and people seem to live without emotion. Doctors tell him they’re hallucinations, but he knows his visits are real. She’s there-Sash-and she’s more real than anyone he’s ever known.
His visits stop but, as years pass, the memories haunt Chase. Without warning, the young man suddenly finds himself again in a world called Krymzyn. Arriving during Darkness, he’s rescued from death by the extraordinary, beautiful but terrifying young woman he first met when he was twelve.
When Chase is thrust into the war of balance against vile creatures who threaten all who live there, Sash helps him understand his purpose in Krymzyn. A dark secret from the beginning of time reveals he might be able to stay there forever. To prove he belongs in Krymzyn and be with the only woman he can ever love, Chase will have to risk his own life in the ultimate battle.
Release Date: October 4, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Add to Goodreads.
Krymzyn Tour $100 Amazon Giveaway
The author is giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner.
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. This is a tour giveaway, and the winner will be selected randomly by the author/tour/publisher. Giveaway ends December 2, 2014. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Would you like to visit the world of Krymzyn?
November 12, 2014
Bookish Playlist: Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stevens
I've often heard people say that they wish life had a soundtrack. I'm not one of those people. All that noise would mess with my precious reading time! I do, however, like to think that all books have a soundtrack. If my new novel, Hunting in Bruges, had a soundtrack, it would go something like this...
Hunting in Bruges Playlist
The Razor's Edge by Digital Daggers
Trophy by Bat for Lashes
Heartbeats by The Knife
Vanished by Crystal Castles
Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
When Anger Shows by The Editors
Walking with a Ghost by Tegan and Sara
How by The Neighborhood
Bones by Ms Mr
The Dreaming Moon by The Magnetic Fields
Arsenal by Kidneythieves
Leaving Tonight by The Birthday Massacre
What Else Is There? by Royksopp
Scorch the Ground by Seabound
Approaching Light Speed by Wolfsheim
Dead Stars by Covenant
The Bomb by Neuroticfish
Let Me Be Your Armor by Assemblage 23
Bullet by Covenant
Ghost by VNV Nation
Wreath of Barbs by Wumpscut
Hunting in Bruges is the first book in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series. You can grab a copy now at Amazon, Amazon.UK, iTunes, and other fine book retailers.
Interested in this book? You're in luck! Don't miss our Hunting in Bruges Release Party Giveaway here at From the Shadows. We are giving away a Hunting in Bruges *signed* Trade Paperback, t-shirt, sticker, *signed* postcard, and poster!
Have you read Hunting in Bruges?
What songs are on your Hunting in Bruges Playlist?
Hunting in Bruges Playlist
The Razor's Edge by Digital Daggers
Trophy by Bat for Lashes
Heartbeats by The Knife
Vanished by Crystal Castles
Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
When Anger Shows by The Editors
Walking with a Ghost by Tegan and Sara
How by The Neighborhood
Bones by Ms Mr
The Dreaming Moon by The Magnetic Fields
Arsenal by Kidneythieves
Leaving Tonight by The Birthday Massacre
What Else Is There? by Royksopp
Scorch the Ground by Seabound
Approaching Light Speed by Wolfsheim
Dead Stars by Covenant
The Bomb by Neuroticfish
Let Me Be Your Armor by Assemblage 23
Bullet by Covenant
Ghost by VNV Nation
Wreath of Barbs by Wumpscut
Hunting in Bruges is the first book in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series. You can grab a copy now at Amazon, Amazon.UK, iTunes, and other fine book retailers.
Interested in this book? You're in luck! Don't miss our Hunting in Bruges Release Party Giveaway here at From the Shadows. We are giving away a Hunting in Bruges *signed* Trade Paperback, t-shirt, sticker, *signed* postcard, and poster!
Have you read Hunting in Bruges?
What songs are on your Hunting in Bruges Playlist?
November 10, 2014
Hunting in Bruges Release Day Party + Giveaway
Today is the release of HUNTING IN BRUGES, the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. To celebrate, we are having a book and swag giveaway!
Keep reading for a chance to win a Hunting in Bruges signed book, t-shirt, and more!
Hunting in Bruges (Hunters' Guild #1) by E.J. Stevens.
The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.
Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters' Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there's no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.
On second thought, maybe Bruges isn't so bad after all.
With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters' Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city's scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.
Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions--but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.
Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger.
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.
Buy on Amazon | Amazon.uk | iTunes | Barnes and Noble.
Praise for Hunting in Bruges
"I could not put this book down. I flat out loved it! ...This book is full of action, deaths, supernatural creatures, and is perfect for the adult urban fantasy fan, and I for one, can’t wait for the next installment."
-Rabid Reads
"Hunting in Bruges has everything a great Urban Fantasy should, a kick ass heroine, a lovable hot guy, plenty of different supernatural beings and a fast paced story line. ...I absolutely loved this book!! ...Hunting in Bruges is a must read."
-Book Lover's Life
About the Hunters' Guild seriesThe Hunters' Guild series is an urban fantasy series written by E.J. Stevens and set in the world of Ivy Granger. The series is told in the first-person point-of-view of Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, a proficiency with weapons, and an intolerance for monsters who target the innocent.
About the AuthorE.J. Stevens is the author of the Spirit Guide young adult series, the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, and the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series. When E.J. isn't at her writing desk she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Connect with E.J. StevensBlog | Newsletter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter
Hunting in Bruges Release Day Giveaway
We are giving away a HUGE Hunting in Bruges prize pack. One winner will receive a Hunting in Bruges *signed* Trade Paperback, t-shirt, sticker, *signed* postcard, and poster!
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Winner will be randomly drawn by Rafflecopter. Giveaway ends November 25, 2014.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for partying with us and good luck with the giveaway!
Keep reading for a chance to win a Hunting in Bruges signed book, t-shirt, and more!
Hunting in Bruges (Hunters' Guild #1) by E.J. Stevens.
The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.
Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters' Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there's no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.
On second thought, maybe Bruges isn't so bad after all.
With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters' Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city's scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.
Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions--but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.
Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger.
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.
Buy on Amazon | Amazon.uk | iTunes | Barnes and Noble.
Praise for Hunting in Bruges
"I could not put this book down. I flat out loved it! ...This book is full of action, deaths, supernatural creatures, and is perfect for the adult urban fantasy fan, and I for one, can’t wait for the next installment."
-Rabid Reads
"Hunting in Bruges has everything a great Urban Fantasy should, a kick ass heroine, a lovable hot guy, plenty of different supernatural beings and a fast paced story line. ...I absolutely loved this book!! ...Hunting in Bruges is a must read."
-Book Lover's Life
About the Hunters' Guild seriesThe Hunters' Guild series is an urban fantasy series written by E.J. Stevens and set in the world of Ivy Granger. The series is told in the first-person point-of-view of Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, a proficiency with weapons, and an intolerance for monsters who target the innocent.
About the AuthorE.J. Stevens is the author of the Spirit Guide young adult series, the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, and the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series. When E.J. isn't at her writing desk she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Connect with E.J. StevensBlog | Newsletter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter
Hunting in Bruges Release Day Giveaway
We are giving away a HUGE Hunting in Bruges prize pack. One winner will receive a Hunting in Bruges *signed* Trade Paperback, t-shirt, sticker, *signed* postcard, and poster!
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Winner will be randomly drawn by Rafflecopter. Giveaway ends November 25, 2014.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for partying with us and good luck with the giveaway!
November 9, 2014
Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Nightshade with Marlene Perez
Come on boys and ghouls! It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip. This week's stop is Nightshade, California and our special guide is Marlene Perez, author of the Nyx Fortuna series.
The Nyx Fortuna series is set in Nightshade so it seems fitting that our guide for this week's Paranormal Road Trip be the amazing Marlene Perez. Let's see what terrifying places Marlene has planned for our tour.
Nightshade's Top 5 Spooky Places
My Dead Is series features the Giordano sisters, three psychic teens who solve mysteries in the paranormal town of Nightshade, California.
5) Slim's Diner- Daisy Giordano works there. Order of Slim's amazing cinnamon rolls and try to get a glimpse of him. The owner is invisible, need I say more? Or drop a quarter into the jukebox and get a cryptic clue from Lil in a song.
4) The Wilder estate is the perfect place to impress a date. After dinner, take a stroll in the maze, but watch out for werewolves.
3) a bonfire on the beach is a perfect summer time activity, but you may see a ghostly white horse galloping on the beach. If you listen closely, you might hear a mermaid sweetly singing.
2) Nightshade City Council meets at midnight. Mr. Bone, the mild-mannered funeral home owner is also the head of the council, but he has a few secrets. If you prefer, cheer on the Nightshade High football team, but don't let any thirsty cheerleaders get you alone.
1) The morgue. Not all the dead bodies there are exactly dead. This is both spooky and sweet since it is the location of Daisy and Ryan's first kiss. In the last book in the series, the morgue is also the location of a big moment in Daisy and Ryan's life.
Thank you Marlene for giving us such a haunting tour of Nightshade!
To learn more about Marlene Perez and her books, please visit her website, and don't miss our Q+A with Marlene Perez here at From the Shadows. You can add the Nyx Fortuna series here on Goodreads.
What did you think of Marlene's picks for spooky places?
Last week on Paranormal Road Trip we visited Bruges, Belgium with E.J. Stevens. Next week we'll be traveling to Detroit, Michigan with Amber Lynn Natusch.
Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!
November 8, 2014
All Hallow's Read Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Miki the winner of our annual All Hallow's Read Giveaway at From the Shadows! Miki will receive an ebook copy of GHOST LIGHT by E.J. Stevens.
Thank you to all who entered. I hope your Halloween was spooktacular!
*Giveaway winners selected randomly using Random.org*
November 5, 2014
Shades of Chaos Dystopian Authors Talk Apocalypse Survival
I recently had the opportunity to talk with the authors of the SHADES OF CHAOS young adult dystopian book collection. Since the six books in the Shades of Chaos collection deal with post-apocalyptic futures, I decided to ask these authors about how they would prepare for the apocalypse. Four authors shared what's in their apocalypse survival kits and one author shared her apocalypse survival tips. Let's see what they had to say!
Pst! We're also hosting a book giveaway. Keep reading for a chance to win Shades of Chaos.
Apocalypse Survival Kit
What's in your apocalypse survival kit?
Alexia Purdy
1. Hunting Knife
2. A lighter
3. A small pot to boil water in
4. Food of some sort
5. Lip Balm, lots of it.
Chystalla Thoma
When I sat down to think about this topic, I realized that the items I would have in my survival kit would very much depend on the sort of apocalypse the world has come to. Is it radiation from a nuclear blast or ozone layer disappearing? Is it a flood? Is it aliens? Vampires? A plague?
So I decided I will focus on the apocalypse that has created the world of my series Elei’s Chronicles. In the events that lead to the Seven Islands, the mutations and the settings of Rex Rising, we have a world that managed, through war and negligence, to completely strip away the ozone layer. Prime danger is radiation from the sun, which not only will cause radiation poisoning, but also cancer if withstood long enough. Crops and animals will also die, if left exposed, leading to famine.
So what would a survivor need in such a scenario?
Suit: Covering myself to deflect the radiation would be paramount. I imagine a specially made suit with a helmet and visor, gloves and boots, to protect my skin. The suit would have to be light and yet made from a sturdy material, containing elements that don’t let radiation penetrate.
Weapon: Not a gun, but something that doesn’t need specialized ammunition. Maybe a sort of sling that throws stones, or a flamethrower if there are still places to get fuel. I’d need the weapon to protect myself from animals and other humans who will attack me to get my suit and everything else I own. Until deep underground or underwater cities are established, the world will be in upheaval. Plus, once those cities are established, they won’t take in everyone, leaving many of us on the outside.
I will also need this weapon to hunt for food.
Water purifier: Finding clean water will be a huge problem with so much death around. I will need a small gadget that can work even manually into which I can pour contaminated water and receive clean, drinkable water.
Medicine: a first aid kit, hopefully antibiotics, too, if I can find them. We are so used to cleanness and doctors close by in case we need anything. Any wound could spell death if left filthy and untreated.
Cameron Jace
Although I write apocalyptic books, I am never interested in survival kits. Call me pessimistic, but I don’t see a use for them. If the #$@$ hits the wall there will be no time to arrange for such things, let alone taking care of what’s left of your family.
The optimum kit though would always be your brain and how fit you are.
What will a gun be to you if you can’t run, or have spent time to learn how to shoot it—killing yourself is an option but then if you’re so desperate you could have done it way before the zombies knocked on your walls, and made the world a happier place.
I know this should be a post about kits. And, excuse my ignorance, I had to search Google for it. I mean, really, apocalypse isn’t about surviving to me—I know you’re not a fan of me already. It’s about two things, always:
1) How society ever got to that reckless point of no return?
2) What you learn about who you really are is such a dreadful situation.
So my kit would hardly be a sword, gun, car, comfy backpack, red glow sticks, shovel, self powered flashlight and radio, pocket knives, waterproof matches (seriously, who invented that?
No, none of that crap.
Not to mention I got all the above from the internet—which will most probably not be at your service when the apocalypse hits. Neither will blogs or writers be available. Don’t take it personally. It’s an apocalypse. God is not punishing you alone at the moment. It’s the whole world he’s aiming at.
So, kits.
Yes. I forgot.
I must talk too much, which isn’t a good ‘kit’ for apocalypse, especially ‘zombies.’ They’re not fond of fluff talk.
Anyways, here is my kit, simple, useless, but I love it:
Items are mentioned in particular order (you can’t favor one over the other here) :
Me (in order to save my ass, I am very important. If I have already worked on myself. If I have a purpose, I will leave an impression in this mess. Not survive. Leave a human strain, that is.)
Very close family members. I say wife and kids. Sorry mom and dad. I am just being practical.
A novel, just sayin’.
Something I can hit with, a baseball bat maybe. Guns always get out of ammo.
You will not like that one: a shovel. To bury loved ones with dignity, assuming I managed to die last as father who should take care of family.
And that in my humble opinion is the most important: to make sure at lease one person survives each situation. You don’t think that’s a kit? A surviving ‘life’ is all the hope we can get. Main rule in any situation: die as many, one survives, go produce, dies as many, make sure one survives and so on. This or we will be dinosaurs.
Katie Salidas
What a great topic, and honestly something I have considered lately. Not that I am one of those people who overly prepares for the unknown, but it’s always there in the back of my mind, being a mom, what would keep my family going in the short term if the worst would happen.
So, with that in mind (being a mom) I think I need a good first aid kit. My kids hurt themselves enough with proper medical attention around, gods forbid they hurt themselves with there is none.
Second to that, I need good defense. Not being a gun person, nor someone who wants to carry around bullets either, I go for something sharp and hand-held. A nice blade or two.
Now that I’ve got the bandaids and blades taken care of, my third selection would have to continue on the practical path. Good, simple, and useful. Lighter – fire is necessary! A tent – because I doub’t we’ll have real shelter and need some protection from the elements. And since I only have five choices, the last will be a good pair of comfortable shoes for me and the family. Why? Because I’ll bet there will be a lot of walking after the end of the world as we know it. Comfortable shoes are a must.
I wonder… what 5 Items would you choose?
Apocalypse Survival Tips
Megan Duncan
It could happen tomorrow. Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting in a sunny park. The grass is green, the trees are tall, and the laughter of children is filling the air. You find an empty bench and take a seat so you can enjoy your favorite creamy ice cream cone when…
BAM!
Apocalypse!
What are you going to do? Drop your ice cream and run screaming, of course, but after that? What can an innocent unsuspecting human do to survive?
That’s where I come in. Like any apocalyptic/doomsday fanatic, I am well educated you in the guidelines of avoiding extinction for such an event. I know what you’re thinking, but an apocalypse could totally happen! I swear I’m not crazy.
I have compiled a short list of five of the top tips, so that you can stay alive during such an epic catastrophe.
Five Very Important Apocalypse Survival Tips
Apocalypse monsters (zombies, vampires, and demons) are liars. Never ever believe what they tell you. If they say, “Please come outside. We just want to be friends.” What they really mean is, “Get out here, so I can eat you!”
Always be sure you are the fastest runner of those you travel with. That way you can be sure you will never be the first to be eaten. Cindy-Sue might have been your friend, but it’s not your fault the demon thinks she’s so tasty. Besides, she always ate all the pork n’ beans and that’s your favorite post-apocalyptic survival food!
Start your stockpile! Horde as many hostess twinkies and cans of spam as you can. It might not be the healthiest diet, but they don’t expire and spam will probably be the only thing left on any grocery store shelf. Spam, or cannibalism? Your choice.
Anything can be used as a weapon. If you are fighting a monster and all you have is duct tape, a knife and a broom. Make yourself a medieval spear! You’ve seen 300 and Troy a million times right? Good! Then you should be a professional.
Find your fortress. At some point the monsters will find you and the siege will commence. This doesn’t mean you have to make it easy for them. So get to your local hardware store before everyone else, and board up those doors and windows! No place is safe enough!
Good Luck! Sleep tight and don’t let the monsters bite!
Shades of Chaos Giveaway
We are giving away an ebook copy of Shades of Chaos to one lucky winner!
To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email so we may contact you if you win. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends November 22, 2014 midnight EST.
Shades of Chaos by Cameron Jace, Katie Salidas, Chrystalla Thoma, Alexia Purdy, Megan Duncan.
Dare yourself to enter into post-apocalyptic future with this gritty collection of first-in-a-series books by six bestselling authors! Discover unique worlds packed with non-stop action, adventure, and suspense set against a gritty, futuristic backdrop.
NOTE: Together, these books have over 320 5-star reviews on Amazon. Over 1400 pages of stories, with *exclusive* content from Alexia Purdy, Katie Salidas, and Chrystalla Thoma! Best for ages 16 and up.
Release Date: June 2014
Add to Goodreads.
What's in YOUR apocalypse survival kit?
We recently had a similar discussion about the zombie apocalypse here.
Pst! We're also hosting a book giveaway. Keep reading for a chance to win Shades of Chaos.
Apocalypse Survival Kit
What's in your apocalypse survival kit?
Alexia Purdy
1. Hunting Knife
2. A lighter
3. A small pot to boil water in
4. Food of some sort
5. Lip Balm, lots of it.
Chystalla Thoma
When I sat down to think about this topic, I realized that the items I would have in my survival kit would very much depend on the sort of apocalypse the world has come to. Is it radiation from a nuclear blast or ozone layer disappearing? Is it a flood? Is it aliens? Vampires? A plague?
So I decided I will focus on the apocalypse that has created the world of my series Elei’s Chronicles. In the events that lead to the Seven Islands, the mutations and the settings of Rex Rising, we have a world that managed, through war and negligence, to completely strip away the ozone layer. Prime danger is radiation from the sun, which not only will cause radiation poisoning, but also cancer if withstood long enough. Crops and animals will also die, if left exposed, leading to famine.
So what would a survivor need in such a scenario?
Suit: Covering myself to deflect the radiation would be paramount. I imagine a specially made suit with a helmet and visor, gloves and boots, to protect my skin. The suit would have to be light and yet made from a sturdy material, containing elements that don’t let radiation penetrate.
Weapon: Not a gun, but something that doesn’t need specialized ammunition. Maybe a sort of sling that throws stones, or a flamethrower if there are still places to get fuel. I’d need the weapon to protect myself from animals and other humans who will attack me to get my suit and everything else I own. Until deep underground or underwater cities are established, the world will be in upheaval. Plus, once those cities are established, they won’t take in everyone, leaving many of us on the outside.
I will also need this weapon to hunt for food.
Water purifier: Finding clean water will be a huge problem with so much death around. I will need a small gadget that can work even manually into which I can pour contaminated water and receive clean, drinkable water.
Medicine: a first aid kit, hopefully antibiotics, too, if I can find them. We are so used to cleanness and doctors close by in case we need anything. Any wound could spell death if left filthy and untreated.
Cameron Jace
Although I write apocalyptic books, I am never interested in survival kits. Call me pessimistic, but I don’t see a use for them. If the #$@$ hits the wall there will be no time to arrange for such things, let alone taking care of what’s left of your family.
The optimum kit though would always be your brain and how fit you are.
What will a gun be to you if you can’t run, or have spent time to learn how to shoot it—killing yourself is an option but then if you’re so desperate you could have done it way before the zombies knocked on your walls, and made the world a happier place.
I know this should be a post about kits. And, excuse my ignorance, I had to search Google for it. I mean, really, apocalypse isn’t about surviving to me—I know you’re not a fan of me already. It’s about two things, always:
1) How society ever got to that reckless point of no return?
2) What you learn about who you really are is such a dreadful situation.
So my kit would hardly be a sword, gun, car, comfy backpack, red glow sticks, shovel, self powered flashlight and radio, pocket knives, waterproof matches (seriously, who invented that?
No, none of that crap.
Not to mention I got all the above from the internet—which will most probably not be at your service when the apocalypse hits. Neither will blogs or writers be available. Don’t take it personally. It’s an apocalypse. God is not punishing you alone at the moment. It’s the whole world he’s aiming at.
So, kits.
Yes. I forgot.
I must talk too much, which isn’t a good ‘kit’ for apocalypse, especially ‘zombies.’ They’re not fond of fluff talk.
Anyways, here is my kit, simple, useless, but I love it:
Items are mentioned in particular order (you can’t favor one over the other here) :
Me (in order to save my ass, I am very important. If I have already worked on myself. If I have a purpose, I will leave an impression in this mess. Not survive. Leave a human strain, that is.)
Very close family members. I say wife and kids. Sorry mom and dad. I am just being practical.
A novel, just sayin’.
Something I can hit with, a baseball bat maybe. Guns always get out of ammo.
You will not like that one: a shovel. To bury loved ones with dignity, assuming I managed to die last as father who should take care of family.
And that in my humble opinion is the most important: to make sure at lease one person survives each situation. You don’t think that’s a kit? A surviving ‘life’ is all the hope we can get. Main rule in any situation: die as many, one survives, go produce, dies as many, make sure one survives and so on. This or we will be dinosaurs.
Katie Salidas
What a great topic, and honestly something I have considered lately. Not that I am one of those people who overly prepares for the unknown, but it’s always there in the back of my mind, being a mom, what would keep my family going in the short term if the worst would happen.
So, with that in mind (being a mom) I think I need a good first aid kit. My kids hurt themselves enough with proper medical attention around, gods forbid they hurt themselves with there is none.
Second to that, I need good defense. Not being a gun person, nor someone who wants to carry around bullets either, I go for something sharp and hand-held. A nice blade or two.
Now that I’ve got the bandaids and blades taken care of, my third selection would have to continue on the practical path. Good, simple, and useful. Lighter – fire is necessary! A tent – because I doub’t we’ll have real shelter and need some protection from the elements. And since I only have five choices, the last will be a good pair of comfortable shoes for me and the family. Why? Because I’ll bet there will be a lot of walking after the end of the world as we know it. Comfortable shoes are a must.
I wonder… what 5 Items would you choose?
Apocalypse Survival Tips
Megan Duncan
It could happen tomorrow. Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting in a sunny park. The grass is green, the trees are tall, and the laughter of children is filling the air. You find an empty bench and take a seat so you can enjoy your favorite creamy ice cream cone when…
BAM!
Apocalypse!
What are you going to do? Drop your ice cream and run screaming, of course, but after that? What can an innocent unsuspecting human do to survive?
That’s where I come in. Like any apocalyptic/doomsday fanatic, I am well educated you in the guidelines of avoiding extinction for such an event. I know what you’re thinking, but an apocalypse could totally happen! I swear I’m not crazy.
I have compiled a short list of five of the top tips, so that you can stay alive during such an epic catastrophe.
Five Very Important Apocalypse Survival Tips
Apocalypse monsters (zombies, vampires, and demons) are liars. Never ever believe what they tell you. If they say, “Please come outside. We just want to be friends.” What they really mean is, “Get out here, so I can eat you!”
Always be sure you are the fastest runner of those you travel with. That way you can be sure you will never be the first to be eaten. Cindy-Sue might have been your friend, but it’s not your fault the demon thinks she’s so tasty. Besides, she always ate all the pork n’ beans and that’s your favorite post-apocalyptic survival food!
Start your stockpile! Horde as many hostess twinkies and cans of spam as you can. It might not be the healthiest diet, but they don’t expire and spam will probably be the only thing left on any grocery store shelf. Spam, or cannibalism? Your choice.
Anything can be used as a weapon. If you are fighting a monster and all you have is duct tape, a knife and a broom. Make yourself a medieval spear! You’ve seen 300 and Troy a million times right? Good! Then you should be a professional.
Find your fortress. At some point the monsters will find you and the siege will commence. This doesn’t mean you have to make it easy for them. So get to your local hardware store before everyone else, and board up those doors and windows! No place is safe enough!
Good Luck! Sleep tight and don’t let the monsters bite!
Shades of Chaos Giveaway
We are giving away an ebook copy of Shades of Chaos to one lucky winner!
To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email so we may contact you if you win. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends November 22, 2014 midnight EST.
Shades of Chaos by Cameron Jace, Katie Salidas, Chrystalla Thoma, Alexia Purdy, Megan Duncan.
Dare yourself to enter into post-apocalyptic future with this gritty collection of first-in-a-series books by six bestselling authors! Discover unique worlds packed with non-stop action, adventure, and suspense set against a gritty, futuristic backdrop.
NOTE: Together, these books have over 320 5-star reviews on Amazon. Over 1400 pages of stories, with *exclusive* content from Alexia Purdy, Katie Salidas, and Chrystalla Thoma! Best for ages 16 and up.
Release Date: June 2014
Add to Goodreads.
What's in YOUR apocalypse survival kit?
We recently had a similar discussion about the zombie apocalypse here.
November 4, 2014
Bibliomystery Mania: For the Love of Books About Books
I have a confession to make. Paranormal books are not my only guilty pleasure.
I also love books about books.
Yes, I'm a bibliophile. I love books about books, ciphers, long lost manuscripts, libraries, and secret archives. The only thing better than reading books about books would be doing so while locked inside a bookstore, like this tourist who was locked inside Waterstones bookstore last month. Some people have all the luck.
I've been hoarding bibliomysteries (aka book mysteries, biblio-mysteries, bookish mysteries) and now it's time to share my book addiction for this fascinating subgenre of mystery books. There are so many great bibliomysteries out there. Here are the bibliomysteries that top my list.
Best Bibliomystery Books
Booked to Die by John Dunning: "Turning to his lifelong passion, Janeway opens a small bookshop -- all the while searching for evidence to put Newton away. But when prized volumes in a highly sought-after collection begin to appear, so do dead bodies. Now, Janeway's life is about to start a precarious new chapter as he attempts to find out who's dealing death along with vintage Chandlers and Twains. " Booked to Die is the first book in the Cliff Janeway series. Janeway is a former cop turned bookseller and collector of rare books who stumbles onto book heists and more. 
The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte: "When a well-known bibliophile is found dead, leaving behind part of the original manuscript of Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers, Corso is brought in to authenticate the fragment. He is soon drawn into a swirling plot involving devil worship, occult practices, and swashbuckling derring-do among a cast of characters bearing a suspicious resemblance to those of Dumas's masterpiece." A Perez-Reverte thriller intertwined with Dumas and The Three Musketeers. Absolutely fantastic.
Codex by Lev Grossman: "His task is to search their library stacks for a precious medieval codex, a treasure kept sealed away for many years and for many reasons. Enlisting the help of passionate medievalist Margaret Napier, Edward is determined to solve the mystery of the codex-to understand its significance to his wealthy clients, and to decipher the seeming parallels between the legend of the codex and an obsessive role-playing computer game that has absorbed him in the dark hours of the night." It's been awhile since I read this, but I remember it being a thrilling read.
The Dream of Scipio by Ian Pears: "Iain Pears intertwines three intellectual mysteries, three love stories, and three of the darkest moments in human history. United by a classical text called "The Dream of Scipio," three men struggle to find refuge for their hearts and minds from the madness that surrounds them in the final days of the Roman Empire, in the grim years of the Black Death, and in the direst hours of World War II." This book was heart wrenching, intertwining the story of The Dream of Scipio with all the darkness of the fall of the Roman Empire, the bubonic plague, and World War II.
Ex-Libris by Ross King: "A cryptic summons to a remote country house launches Isaac Inchbold, a London bookseller and antiquarian, on an odyssey through seventeenth-century Europe. Charged with the task of restoring a magnificent library destroyed by the war, Inchbold moves between Prague and the Tower Bridge in London, his fortunes—and his life—hanging on his ability to recover a missing manuscript. Yet the lost volume is not what it seems, and his search is part of a treacherous game of underworld spies and smugglers, ciphers, and forgeries." At times disjointed, but overall a thrilling tale filled with history, intrigue, conspiracies, and a book that many are willing to kill for.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde: "Welcome to a surreal version of Great Britain, circa 1985, where time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem, militant Baconians heckle performances of Hamlet, and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection, until someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature. When Jane Eyre is plucked from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday must track down the villain and enter the novel herself to avert a heinous act of literary homicide." And now for something completely different...no, really. I am a huge fan of Jasper Fforde and yet his books are difficult to describe. As most Ffordians will agree, his books must be read, though your mind will never be quite the same once you do. 
The Grand Complication by Allen Kurzweil: "A modern-day tale of literary intrigue, deviant passions, and delicious secrets. Behind the majestic walls of a Manhattan town house, a stylish young reference librarian of arcane interests unravels an 18th-century mystery--who stole Marie Antoinette's watch? The book is a grand and complicated "timepiece," told with a devilish sense of fun." A research librarian is tempted into accepting a side job to locate an object formerly contained in a cabinet of curiosities. Eccentric characters and mysteries layered upon mysteries make this a fun read.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: "Late one night, exploring her father’s library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to ‘My dear and unfortunate successor’. Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of – a labyrinth where the secrets of her father’s past and her mother’s mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history." A bibliomystery with vampires? Yes, please!
The Hollow by Jessica Verday: "When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special. Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity." A YA paranormal romance that ensures you'll never read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow the same way ever again.
Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrol: "On the eve of the Globe’s production of Hamlet, Shakespeare scholar and theater director Kate Stanley’s eccentric mentor Rosalind Howard gives her a mysterious box, claiming to have made a groundbreaking discovery. But before she can reveal it to Kate, the Globe burns to the ground and Roz is found dead - murdered precisely in the manner of Hamlet’s father. Inside the box Kate finds the first piece in a Shakespearean puzzle, setting her on a deadly, high-stakes treasure hunt. From London to Harvard to the American West, Kate races to evade a killer and decipher a tantalizing string of clues, hidden in the words of Shakespeare, that may unlock literary history’s greatest secret." A theater director and former Shakespearean scholar becomes embroiled in a deadly search, a search that leaves a trail of dead bodies. This is the first book in the Kate Stanley series.The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco: "The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon—all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where “the most interesting things happen at night.”" You may know this book from the film of the same name, starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater...featuring Ron Perlman in one of his weirdest roles ever. Eco weaves a tangled web of mystery, murder, and secret knowledge within a labyrinthine library at the heart of an Italian monastery. A bibliomystery masterpiece!
Nevermore by Kelly Creagh: "Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares." A young adult paranormal book with supernatural ties to the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Nevermore is the first book in the Nevermore series.
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez: "It begins on a summer day in Oxford, when a young Argentine graduate student finds his landlady-an elderly woman who helped crack the Enigma Code during World War II -murdered in cold blood. Meanwhile, a renowned Oxford logician receives an anonymous note bearing a circle and the words "the first of a series." As the murders begin to pile up and more symbols are revealed, it is up to this unlikely pair to decipher the pattern before the killer strikes again." An Oxford professor and a graduate student must solve a series of complex murders in this thrilling novel. Full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt: "Richard Papen arrived at Hampden College in New England and was quickly seduced by an elite group of five students, all Greek scholars, all worldly, self-assured, and, at first glance, all highly unapproachable. As Richard is drawn into their inner circle, he learns a terrifying secret that binds them to one another...a secret about an incident in the woods in the dead of night where an ancient rite was brought to brutal life...and led to a gruesome death. And that was just the beginning." A psychological book about comradery and murder.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: "Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets--an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love." This many layered mystery is dreamlike, melancholy, and poetic. The first novel in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. 
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield: "Biographer Margaret Lea returns one night to her apartment above her father’s antiquarian bookshop. On her steps she finds a letter. It is a hand-written request from one of Britain’s most prolific and well-loved novelists. Vida Winter, gravely ill, wants to recount her life story before it is too late, and she wants Margaret to be the one to capture her history. The request takes Margaret by surprise — she doesn’t know the author, nor has she read any of Miss Winter’s dozens of novels. Late one night while pondering whether to accept the task of recording Miss Winter’s personal story, Margaret begins to read her father’s rare copy of Miss Winter’s Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation. She is spellbound by the stories and confused when she realizes the book only contains twelve stories. Where is the thirteenth tale? Intrigued, Margaret agrees to meet Miss Winter and act as her biographer." This one is on my towering TBR pile waiting to be read. 
The Unburied by Charles Palliser: "In Victorian England, Dr. Courtine is invited to spend the days before Christmas with Austin, a friend from his youth, in the Cathedral Close of Thurchester. Courtine hopes to research an unsolved mystery at the cathedral library, but when Austin captivates him with the story of the town ghost -- a macabre tale of murder and deception dating back two centuries -- Courtine finds himself drawn instead into a haunting world of avarice, skullduggery, and exceptional evil. Daring, unpredictable, atmospheric, The Unburied is a dazzling entry in the canon of classic Victorian masterpieces of suspense." Beginning within a memoir, we have a man who has come to unearth a manuscript, but ends up trying to solve multiple cases of murder when he is told a local ghost story.
Unsolicited by Jule Kaewert: "London's Plumtree Press has a world-class bestseller of a novel. And the sequel is earmarked to get this old family firm out of the red. But its anonymous author, known to Plumtree only as "Arthur," has apparently vanished, leaving the crucial last five chapters undelivered. Alex already knows they reveal the identity of the characters who smuggled British children to America during World War II. But, of course, this is fiction. So when a lead critic previews the book as a nonfiction exposé, Alex is shocked. Even more so when the critic is murdered...and Alex finds himself the target of a ruthless hunt for the manuscript and bizarre attempts on his life. " The first novel in A Booklover's Mystery series. This is a fun, cozy mystery series about a young man who runs a small, family owned publishing house and his penchant for rare books and reluctant sleuthing. Warning: This book will make you crave tea and toast. You have been warned. Additional Reading
The above list is not an exhaustive list of bibliomysteries. I could go on...and on....and on. For the sake of space, I am adding these titles here for your enjoyment. Why did they not make my list of Best Bibliomystery Books? Truthfully, many of these I read so long ago that I can't remember them fully. The ones that are most memorable, or that I've read more than once, I've listed above.
Don't miss these bibliomystery books:
The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael GruberThe Dante Club by Matthew Pearl Death by the Book by Lenny BartulinFoucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard Real Murders by Charlaine HarrisThe Rule of Four by Ian CaldwellThe Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay
About the Author:E.J. Stevens is the author of the Spirit Guide young adult paranormal series, the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series, and the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series. Due to her love for bibliomysteries, her books are peppered with secret archives, libraries, books, documents, grimoires, and words of power.
Her new novel
Hunting in Bruges
teams up Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, a proficiency with weapons, and an intolerance for monsters who target the innocent, with a number of quirky characters, including Hunters' Guild archivist Darryl Lambert. In a race against time, they must delve into both the Guild's and the city's history--centuries of blood, secrets, Templars, kings, and the supernatural predators that threaten the human inhabitants of Bruges.Have you read any great bibliomysteries lately?
November 2, 2014
Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Bruges with E.J. Stevens
Come on boys and ghouls! It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip. This week's stop is Bruges, Belgium and our special guide is E.J. Stevens, author of the Spirit Guide, Ivy Granger, and Hunters' Guild series.
Hunting in Bruges, the first novel in the Hunters' Guild series is set in Bruges, Belgium so it seems fitting that our guide for this week's Paranormal Road Trip be E.J. Stevens. Let's see what terrifying places E.J. has planned for our tour.
Bruges' Top 5 Spooky Places
The charming medieval city of Bruges, Belgium may seem like an unusual setting for an urban fantasy novel. The city is known for its tranquil canals, historic buildings, and romantic vistas. But the moment I saw a picture of Bruges, my mind began populating its cobblestone streets with bloodthirsty vampires, flesh eating ghouls, monstrous fae, and wailing ghosts.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there really was something sinister in the city's bloody history. My research into Bruges began in earnest, and last year I completed my book research with a trip to Belgium. The pictures included with this post are from that research trip. These photos are taken during daylight hours, but I can assure you that the atmosphere becomes decidedly spooky when the sun goes down over West Flanders. Do ghosts walk the streets of Bruges? I will let you decide.
The Canals
The canals play an important part in my novel, Hunting in Bruges. Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, arrives in Bruges to discover that something is killing humans and disposing of their bodies in the canals. Not only are the canals filling with corpses, but there are supernatural horrors that call the canals their home. While I was visiting Bruges, the canals were the watery grave for more than one unfortunate creature. Did these ducks, pigeons, and small mammals die from natural causes, or is there something deadly lurking within these dark waters?
Jerusalem Church (Jeruzalemkerk)
I have to admit that I was completely unprepared for the experience I had within the stone walls of Jerusalem Church. The macabre altarpiece and tomb were ghoulish, but the truly terrifying part of this church lay in a crawlspace in the vaulted chapel in the back. A cloth wrapped body is on display, and though I've read that this is a replica of Christ's tomb, there is something chilling about that small chamber. My travel companion bolted out the door...and I wasn't far behind. (Note: No pictures came out of the rear tomb. The photos were completely black.)
Beguinage (Begijnhof)
Beguines were lay sisters who lived and dressed as nuns, but did not take vows. The Beguinage continues to be a place of silence within the bustling city--a silence that can seem downright eerie. During my trip, the courtyard was filled with a field of wilting daffodils. Beauty with an edge of decay seemed to be the common theme of this place. One house has been preserved in its original rustic state and visitors can wander the maze of tiny rooms filled with antique furniture and aging lace to see the way in which the Beguines lived. I swear that someone, or something, was watching me during my entire visit. With every creak of the old wooden floors, my unease grew and I made a hasty retreat to Minnewater Park.
Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedbasiliek)
12th century basilica located on Burg square in the heart of Bruges. The church houses the relic of the Holy Blood. The Holy Blood is venerated daily, and is paraded through the streets of Bruges during the Procession of the Holy Blood on Ascension Day.
Saint John's Hospital (Sint-Janshospitaal)
This place is not for the faint of heart. The 11th century hospital is one of the oldest in Europe and contains the often grotesque artwork of Hans Memling, as well as many antique surgical implements. The artwork and objects of torture are absolutely horrifying and the depictions of nuns in their traditional garb had me jumping at my shadow.
A few other notable places to add to any ghost tour of Bruges are the Spookhuis, Retsin's Lucifernum, Sint-Salvator Cathedral, Belfort, Stadhuis, Blind Donkey Alley, Church of Our Lady, and a viewing of Heironymous Bosch's haunting triptych The Last Judgement at the Groeningemuseum.
To learn more about E.J. Stevens and her books, connect through Goodreads, Twitter, and sign-up for her newsletter. There is an interesting article about Hunting in Bruges in the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. Hunting in Bruges releases November 11th and is available for pre-order on Amazon. You can add the Hunters' Guild series here on Goodreads.
Readers, was this your first visit to Bruges, Belgium? Have you experienced anything supernatural in and around Bruges?
What did you think of E.J. Stevens' picks for spooky places?
Last week on Paranormal Road Trip we visited Detroit with Laura Bickle. Next week we'll be traveling to Nightshade, California with Marlene Perez.
Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!
