All About Heroes Interview With Diana Nixon

I'd like to welcome author Diana Nixon to Suspense, She Writes. Diana is a bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romances. Her novel In Your Eyes is scheduled for release December 16, 2014. 

Dear Indie Author, Don't Be THAT Author

Dear Indie Author

Don’t be that author. You know the one, the author that makes the rest of us look...well, not so good. That one author to which critics compare all other indie authors.

There is a low opinion of indie authors among certain sectors of the reading community. One blogger’s opinion was so harsh it made me cringe. The stigma of self-publishing seems to be lifting as more and more authors choose to self-publish, even authors who have traditionally published with a big 5 New York press. The publishing industry as a whole is morphing and changing its publishing and marketing philosophy, and it’s hard to keep up with all the developments. It’s an exciting time to be an author.

I’m an indie author and make no apologies for it. My loyalty is to my author brand, not to any one publisher’s catalog. I’ve been published by four different small publishers and have a contract with a top tier, non-big five publisher. Yet recently I decided to self-publish. Why? To be blunt, I’ve practically done all the marketing and promotion for my published releases myself. If I’m doing most of the work, I might as well keep most of the royalties.

All About Heroes Interview With Joan Curtis

I'd like to welcome fellow author, Joan Curtis, to Suspense, She Writes. Joan has just released a new mystery titled The Clock Strikes Midnight.

Available for Pre-Sale at Amazon

and

Muse It Up Publishing

Janie Knox wants nothing more than to live her life quietly in Savannah, Georgia and never return to her hometown of Atlanta. At age 17, a week after a jury convicted her stepfather of killing her mother, she packed all her worldly possessions in a single duffle bag, hopped on a bus, and vowed never to return. But, when she learns that she’s got three months to live, she journeys back home to finish what she couldn’t do when she left--kill her stepfather.

As the clock ticks away, Janie’s uses the last days of her life to right the wrongs that have haunted her for 20 years. She faces more than she bargained for when she discovers her sister’s life in shambles. Meanwhile her stepfather, recently released from prison, blackmails the sisters and plots to extract millions from the state in retribution.

The Clock Strikes Midnight is a race against time in a quest for revenge and atonement. This is a story about unleashing the hidden truths that haunt a quiet Southern family.

Joan is hosting a launch party for The Clock Strikes Midnight on November 25th from 3pm to 5pm EST on Facebook.

CLICK READ MORE TO SEE ALL ABOUT HEROES INTERVIEW 

#NewRelease - Laurel Heights by Denise Moncrief

Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Amazon $2.99 http://amzn.com/B00N0795WY

Smashwords $2.99 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/471791

                          

Murder, revenge, and nightmares.

A dark cloud of deceit hovers over her family tree...

Left an estate by an aunt she’s never met, Laurel Standridge takes possession of Laurel Heights, hoping it will be the safe haven she needs to recuperate from her ill-fated relationship with Rand Peterson. Secrets long buried rise to the surface when her cousin James is murdered and dumped on the highway just outside the gates of Laurel Heights.

Her past trails her to the mountains of Arkansas...

Caught in an obligation Chase Peterson feels he cannot ignore, he agrees to help his brother Rand take back the property he believes Laurel stole from him, but Chase remains at Laurel Heights after he discovers Laurel took nothing of Rand’s away with her except nightmares, fading bruises, and a broken rib.

Unexplained disturbances shatter her hopes of a normal life...

Are the strange bumps, thumps, and bangs reverberating through the night caused by the murderer of Laurel’s cousin James, someone Rand has sent to exact his revenge, or a disturbed soul existing in another dimension, trying to communicate with the living? Drawn together by the intrigue surrounding Laurel Heights, Chase and Laurel become hopelessly entangled in a relationship that goes deeper than lust. Can their love survive the haunting of Laurel Heights?

Excerpt

Since Laurel had moved into her aunt’s house, she hadn’t fallen asleep once without pharmaceutical help. The sleeping aid usually lulled her into lullaby land, but the drug seldom got her through the night without a nightmare. She was quickly running out of the prescription and would have to resort to over-the-counter antihistamines soon. The doctor she had seen in Fairview wouldn’t renew her prescription. He hadn’t wanted to prescribe it anyway. She wouldn’t be going back to him.

She lay still beneath her comforter, listening to the unusual sounds coming from the lower floor. The house made a lot of noises, especially at night. She sucked in a ragged breath when it made a few more. Thuds and bumps sounded like footfalls. Was someone in the house or was she being paranoid? Every shadow reminded her of Rand. He was in prison and would be incarcerated for a very long time, probably the rest of his life, but he could easily send one of his loyal subordinates to find her.

She wrapped her fingers around the grip of the baseball bat she kept next to her bed and hoped she wouldn’t have to use it. Confronting an intruder with a hollow piece of aluminum seemed like a lame defense. She had been considering purchasing a gun, but hadn’t done so yet. Maybe it was time. She’d have to buy one under the radar because she didn’t want anyone doing a background check on her. Acquiring a shotgun shouldn’t be too hard. It seemed everyone in Arkansas owned a firearm of some sort.

She threw off the comforter, rose from the bed, slipped across the room with the bat over her shoulder, and opened the door to peer down the hallway toward the front stairs. Nothing moved. The house was quiet. Maybe a little too quiet. Only moments before, a symphony of strange noises had disturbed the night. It was as if opening her bedroom door had turned off the sound.

She stared at the back stairs directly across from her bedroom and considered going down to the first floor to check the door locks, but nixed the idea. Locked doors wouldn’t keep someone out of the house if they really wanted to get in. Better to barricade herself in her bedroom and keep the bat close by. She slammed the door shut.

No moonlight filtered through the flimsy fabric covering the window. The moon hid behind a thick cloud cover. She tugged at the curtains, pulling them tighter to keep out the night. Before she stepped away, she caught a glimpse of something not quite right. Peeking between the curtain panels, she stared across the backyard. On the other side of the grimy window, a dim light flitted back and forth inside the detached garage.

She shivered with apprehension. The structure was derelict, unlike her garage in California. The four-car garage had been attached to Rand’s half million-dollar house. They had been living in the two-story, five-bedroom house for at least a year, but the place had never seemed like home to Laurel. Everything belonged to Rand. By the end of their disastrous relationship, he had treated her like a possession as well. Actually, maybe he had all along.

Comparing her life then to her life now brought up memories of the beating Rand had given her and his attempt to attack her again. If Foster hadn’t shown up when he did, she’d probably be dead.

She glanced at the clock beside her bed. It was nearly four in the morning, the darkest hour of the night. Who could possibly be snooping around her place in the dark? Who would be in her garage at any hour? She contemplated calling the local Sheriff’s Office, but decided against it. She didn’t want cops involved in her personal business. No. She would find out who was messing around her property without involving local law enforcement. Eventually the intruder would show himself, and she would be ready for him.

Suspense, She Writes

Where the road to happily ever after takes a suspenseful detour. Fast paced twists and turns that keep you turning the pages. Romantic happily ever after moments that take your breath away. Paranormal romantic suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Want to know a little bit more about Denise? She's a Southern girl who has lived in Louisiana all her life, and yes, she has a drawl. She has a wonderful husband and two incredible children, who not only endure her writing moods, but also encourage her to indulge her writing passion. Besides writing romantic suspense, she enjoys traveling, reading, and scrapbooking.

Accounting is a skill she has learned to earn a little money to support her writing habit. She wrote her first story when she was a teen, seventeen handwritten pages on school-ruled paper and an obvious rip-off of the last romance novel she had read. She's been writing off and on ever since, and with more than a few full-length manuscripts already completed, she has no desire to slow down.

You can connect with Denise at

http://www.denisemoncrief.com

http://www.facebook.com/DeniseMoncriefAuthor

http://www.twitter.com/dmoncrief0131

http://www.amazon.com/author/denisemoncrief

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Ten Albums That Have Affected Me

My friend Heidi Senesac tagged me on Facebook. She challenged me to list eleven albums that have affected me in some way. They don't need to be the "right" albums or great works of musicianship. So I decided to share my list here on Suspense, She Writes.

1. Dreamboat Annie - Heart
2. Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind - Linda Ronstadt
3. Tapestry - Carole King
4. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
5. Juice - Juice Newton
6. Crimes of Passion - Pat Benatar 
7. Shooting Straight In the Dark - Mary Chapin Carpenter 
8. Aces - Suzy Boggus 
9. The Best Damn Thing - Avril Lavigne 
10. The Spirit Room - Michelle Branch 
11. Lying To the Moon - Matraca Berg 

Yep, I chose all female artists, because I love to sing and these ladies all gave me something to sing along with. 

One of the first concerts I attended was Heart. I wanted to sing like Ann Wilson. Well, you know that wasn't going to happen, so I settled for having big hair like hers. Wanna she a picture of that? Okay, here it is...

Just Married!

Okay, maybe I didn't quite achieve Ann's big hair either, but still...that hair is pretty big. :)

Check It Out! New Trailer for Laurel Heights

Interview With a Ghost With Paranormal Investigator Mitchell Grayson

PLEASE NOTE: This post portrays a fictional character and a fictional ghost. All names, places, and events are purely the imagination of the author and the post is meant for entertainment purposes only.

Author: Today, I want to welcome Lt. Mitchell Grayson to Suspense, She Writes. Lt. Grayson is not only an investigator with the Sheriff’s department in Hill County, Arkansas, but also one of the founders of the North Central Arkansas Paranormal Society. Welcome, Lt. Grayson.

Grayson: Please, call me Gray.

Author: Okay, Gray. *author smiles because Gray is handsome* So first tell us how you became a ghost hunter.

Gray: Please, don’t call us ghost hunters. *grins at author despite rebuking her* We prefer the term paranormal investigators. The group was organized when our three founders—Josh McCord, Ashley Rivers, and I—first encountered paranormal activity on Halloween night in an old house in Hill County.

Author: That was quite a few years ago now, wasn’t it?

Gray: Oh, yeah. We were young. Teenagers really, when the incident occurred.

Author: Now, come on, Gray, confess. You were breaking and entering, weren’t you?

Gray: *grins* Yes, we were. But...that was before I swore to uphold the law.

Author: So...the interview you’re going to tell us about today actually was recorded just a few months ago.

Gray: Just last spring, actually. I became...acquainted with the new owner of an old house reputed to be haunted. The owner of Laurel Heights asked for our help with her...paranormal problem.

Author: What kind of problems was she having?

Gray: It started with strange noises in the middle of the night, progressed to cold spots and odd physical sensations, and ended up with unexplainable environmental disturbances and finally...a manifestation of Celeste Standridge’s ghost.

Author: *gets excited and doesn’t bother to hide it* Then you’ve seen the ghost of Celeste Standridge?

Gray: No, I have not. However, the owner of the house has had a close encounter with her.

Author: *author deflates a little* But you’ve had your own experience at Laurel Heights, haven’t you?

*Gray nods*

Author: So tell us about what happened to you?

Gray: The owner had given us permission to do a night investigation in her garage when she was out of town. Josh McCord and I entered the building just after midnight and began calling out whatever presence might be lingering in the garage.

Author: How did you do that?

Gray: We used a recording device that registers sounds at lower or higher decibels than are usually heard by the average human ear and began asking a predetermined set of questions designed to engage with whatever entities might be present.

Author: You used a digital voice recorder?

Gray: Yes, for recording electronic voice phenomena. On that night... Whatever was loose in the room lifted from the floor and swirled around us. A piece of...something...I don’t know what...hit Josh in the back of the head. He still has a scar from that. Everything started happening when I asked a particular question. We couldn’t get out of there soon enough, but as I was trying to leave it was as if I was stuck halfway in and halfway out of the garage, and there was no reason for that. It should have been easy to get away...but it wasn’t.

Author: What question started it all?

Gray: I asked if whoever was in the garage was angry that the new owner had moved into Laurel Heights. Thanks when everything started going...crazy.

Author: And did you capture the incident on the device?

Gray: *smiles* Wanna hear it?

Author: Yes, you know I do.

*Gray places recorder on tabletop and presses play button*

Gray’s voice on the recorder: “Is there anyone here?”

*loud static follows and Gray rushes to lower the volume*

Gray’s voice on the recorder: “What’s your name?”

*the pitch and rhythm of the static changes, a cadence that sounds like a two-syllable word repeats over and over*

*Gray pauses the machine*

Gray: What does that sound like to you?

Author: I don’t know. It’s kind of indistinct. Might be a word spoken over and over again. With an E on the end.

Gray: That’s what Lau...the owner of the house thought.

*Gray pushes the play button.*

Gray’s voice on the recorder: Are you angry that...*skip in the playback as if Gray has erased the owner’s name from the tape* ...has moved into the house?

*chant changes, distinct and unmistakable.*

Disembodied voice: Tell Laurel... My baby. Tell Laurel... My baby.

*Gray jabs play button, stopping the feedback.*

Gray: That was when everything went crazy. Whatever was in the garage that wasn’t heavy or tied down lifted up and swirled around us. *Gray clears his throat.* Freakiest thing I’ve ever lived through.

Author: Did the owner of the house understand the message Celeste was trying to tell her?

Gray: Well...at first, we weren’t sure the message was from Celeste or meant for...the owner, but...events since then have led us to believe the disembodied voice on the recording is in fact Celeste Standridge.

Author: And what was she trying to communicate to...the owner of Laurel Heights?

Gray: *shifting uncomfortably in his seat* I’m not at liberty to divulge that information. Part of an on-going...um...criminal investigation.

Author: Ah, so that’s where you other role in this investigation comes into play.

*Gray smiles*

*Author thinks Gray has a sexy smile*

Author: So would you go back to Laurel Heights and investigate again?

Gray: *with a huge grin* You bet I would, and one day when things...settle down a bit, Josh and I will go back.

Author: Will you let us know if you do and what you discover?

Gray: Of course.

Author: Thank you so much for joining us today on Suspense, She Writes.

Gray: Thanks for having me.

*Author blushes because she wouldn’t mind having him...um...getting to know him better*

READERS: If you enjoyed this bit of insight into the character of Lt. Mitchell Grayson and would like to know more of the story of Laurel Heights, pre-orders of Book One of the Haunted Hearts Series are now available on Amazon at this link.