All blogs are property of authors and copying is not permitted.

Click image to one-click your copy of Soldiers of Fortune

CLICK BELOW & SUBSCRIBE TO THE RB4U NEWSLETTER

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Halloween Treats


I’m a giant five-year-old at heart, so Halloween is a natural for me. Not only am I fascinated by the history behind the holiday, but I get to dress up and eat candy. What’s better than that? Well, as a paranormal romance author, writing cool books about vampires, werewolves, gargoyles and ghosts is another plus. Setting a ghost romance at Halloween? Priceless. (Though you can get All Hallows Evie from Ellora's Cave for just a couple of bucks. J) Here's a photo of one Halloween prepping at the Pape household.



When I was younger, my favorite books and movies seemed to have a recurring theme—ordinary people who get caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Narnia. Oz. Wonderland. Heck, even Bedknobs and Broomsticks or Mary Poppins. The idea that sometime amazing could be waiting just around the corner is more than just a fantasy. Extrapolated into real life, it’s a reason to keep on going, even when you’re a lonely, overweight bookworm of a kid. In adulthood, I can’t claim loneliness, but that sense of wonder is a gift that’s stayed with me. I can find it in little things, like a triple rainbow in my back yard, or a fan letter arriving just when I was feeling blue about my writing. Sometimes I make my own, like wearing subtly pointed ears to the local Renaissance Faire, along with my marvelous dragon bodice. And yes, I still hold my breath a little when I open an antique wardrobe. *wink*


I also try to bring that joy, that wonder, that anything-could-happen vibe to my writing. So if you haven’t already encountered my gargoyles (Heroes of Stone) my vampires (Immortal Cravings) or my Detroit based Urban Arcana series, please check them out. For this Halloween, though, I have a special treat. Book 4 of my steampunk romance Gaslight Chronicles. Moonlight and Mechanicals releases Oct. 22, and features maybe one of my favorite werewolf heroes to date, the Hon. Inspector Liam McCullough. Happy sigh.



* * * * *
Moonlight and Mechanicals
by Cindy Spencer Pape
Now available for pre-order at Carina Press


Blurb: Engineer Winifred "Wink" Hadrian has been in love with Inspector Liam McCullough for years, but is beginning to lose hope when he swears to be a lifelong bachelor. Faced with a proposal from a Knight of the Round Table and one of her closest friends, Wink reluctantly agrees to consider him instead.

Because of his dark werewolf past, Liam tries to keep his distance, but can't say no when Wink asks him to help find her friend's missing son. They soon discover that London's poorest are disappearing at an alarming rate, after encounters with mysterious "mechanical" men. Even more alarming is the connection the missing people may have with a conspiracy against the Queen.

Fighting against time--and their escalating feelings for each other--Wink and Liam must work together to find the missing people and save the monarchy before it's too late...

* * * * *
I’m giving away a free copy of Wink and Liam’s story to one random commenter below, so if you’re in the mood, tell me what you think about paranormal romance, or how you celebrate this time of year. I’ll leave this contest open until the 20th, so everyone who wants to has a chance to enter. If you want to know more about the book, click on the link above. As well as the mini-contest here, I'm also part of the Trick or Treat contest at the RB4U web site and one at Here Be Magic. Finally, I'm also part of a huge Trick or Treat extravaganza. You can find out more by clicking here and starting at Sam Cheever's website. TYou won't want to miss any of these!


Have a wonderful Halloween, or Samhain, or if you celebrate neither, then just a have a marvelous autumn. Happy Reading!

10 comments:

Sherry said...

I love paranormal romances.. It gives the writer and the reader so much more time, space and shape to work with..

You (as a writer) can make them immortal or not, you can have them travel through space (and still look kinda sorta like a human, but not) or you can make them all kinds of different animals, or demons (good demons, of course, I mean geez this is a love story) or whatever..

I just love when as a writer you let your mind go and you come up with an amazing story that is entertaining, when the unbelievable becomes believable, (hello, it's a love story) and you make it a HEA..

THE SHERRY

Anonymous said...

I love this time of year! I don't dress up much except in my immagination but your ideas for why you think YOU might love paranormal (lonely overweight kid) certainly sounds very familair to me. And the list of your favourite books as a kid *nodding and holding up hand*. I love romance and HEA but over the years it's the little something extra that captures my attention - whether that's talking mind-to-mind, were-anything or other 'monsters' that really aren't. I love them in my romances :-)

Peggy Mc

jean hart stewart said...

Yay, Cindy! Sounds like a great new book, which is what we expect from you. Love anything paranormal.

Cindy Spencer Pape said...

Sherry, I totally agree. My favorite thing about writing paranormal is that there are no limits.

Peggy, I'm right there with you on needing that little extra. A straightforward romance can be a nice read, but it's the extras that keep me coming back for more.

And Jean, thanks! You're sweet as always!

susan said...

I like the new limit guidelines to reading a paranormal and my one thing I like about Halloween is I can decorate in orange and black and they are my old school colors. ah ha sue L. garysue@dejazzd.com

Anonymous said...

I love paranormal romance.

Out of all the romance genre's that I read, it is my favorite.

I haven't read the steampunk genre yet. It sounds very interesting.

Deb
mammy4423 AT yahoo.com

Paris said...

If I was a kid, your house would be at the top of my 'must visit' list for Halloween:)

I love the possibilities of paranormal romance and when an author can draw me into a story and make me suspend all disbelief, I'm hooked.


Autumn, with the beautiful colors and the blessedly cooler weather, has always been one of my favorite seasons. I've always been a bookworm and my idea of fun is curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.

Of course, I was also the skinny, knock-kneed kid with thick glasses that wasn't considered a team asset so, yeah, my imagination was pretty much on overdrive and books were a great outlet.

I love getting lost in a story and having an author transport me to a place where all things are possible. Probably why I'm such a big paranormal fan:)


Sandy said...

What a fantastic premise, Cindy.

Cindy Spencer Pape said...

Thanks, Sue, Deb, Paris, and Sandy! Paris, I knew we had a lot in common!

pc said...

Lover paranormal romance...you really can create any world or supernatural character (based on history or reality or imagination)!
This time of year is so inbetween (summer to winter) it just has so many possibilities of changes in the world or time, etc...especially with Halloween!
ivegotmail8889@yahoo.com

Share buttons